


Galactic Threat: Predator and Prey

by Cosmic_Sword11



Series: Galactic Threat [1]
Category: Alien vs Predator (2004), Mass Effect - All Media Types, Predator Original Series (1987-1990)
Genre: Alien Biology, Alien Cultural Differences, Alien Culture, Alien Planet, Alien Technology, Alien/Human Relationships, Asari Characters, Attempted Murder, Betrayal, Blood and Gore, Crimes & Criminals, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, F/M, Fear, Honor, Hunters & Hunting, Interspecies Romance, Mild Smut, Murder, References to Canon, Self-Sacrifice, Violence, Xenophobia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-24
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2020-05-19 04:21:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 120,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19349404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cosmic_Sword11/pseuds/Cosmic_Sword11
Summary: The first episode in the Galactic Threat crossover saga; focused solely on Alien vs. Predator. Alexa and Scar have survived the battle on the Antarctic pyramid and awake aboard a Yautja clan mothership. When they return to Earth, they are not only hunted down by Weyland-Yutani out of fear of an imminent Yautja invasion but also a clan of bloodthirsty bad bloods out on a hunt.





	1. Prologue

**Prologue:**

" _Two possibilities exist: Either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying." – Arthur C. Clarke_

The Yautja species have always been known for one thing: hunting.

These large reptilian humanoids stood at around 7 feet tall on average; generally making them larger than human beings. Of course; the height of Yautja would vary and some Yautja stood much taller than the typical Predator. There were even shorter Yautja that stood as tall as a typical human. Usually, these Yautja would become the subject of ridicule because of their aforementioned squatter height.

Their reptile like skin could vary in colour; from dark coloured green and pale brown to grey among others. Each Yautja's appearance would include a genetic variation that is quite similar to human biological diversity; such as eye colour or their skin colour as mentioned before. Instead of having a simple jaw like humans, Yautja mouths consisted of crab-like mandibles and there is also no visible nose; which does not mean that Yautja are without a sense of smell.

These mandibles attached to their faces were meant as a means of conveying emotions. To use an example; if the mandibles of a Yautja are splayed wide open, then it usually means either anger or surprise. Yautja also have large crests on the top of their heads that may vary in their design as part of their trait of genetic variation and long, fleshy dreadlocks attached to their skulls. While Yautja generally refer these appendages as quills, they were given the nickname of dreadlocks by the humans because of their uncanny resemblance to the human haircut that was immensely popular during the Rastafarian movement.

Yautja culture was based off a hunting ideology that prides itself on hunting down dangerous lifeforms for sport. These traditions were often ritualistic and Yautja would often travel great distances across the galaxy just to claim a hunting prize.

Hunting trophies were almost always the skull of said lifeform chosen as game by the Yautja hunter. Despite having an ideology about hunting down other lifeforms as sport and taking their skulls as trophies; Yautja highly valued the concept of honor in their culture. This was because of their strict Honor Code; followed almost religiously by Yautja hunters during their pursuits.

Many guidelines were made for the Yautja's hunts because of this Honor Code; such as the prohibition of slaughtering elders, children, pregnant women or any other game that cannot defend itself. Slaughtering any and all innocent is also forbidden as well, not just limited to fellow Yautja hunters but also those who haven't committed any crimes worthy of a death sentence from any sentient species. This limited to those deemed worthy to kill under the code.

Yautja also preferred to take their own lives in a form of suicide very similar to that of Japanese seppuku if their hunt has failed in an effort to preserve their honor. When it came to hunting humans, Yautja hunters only killed criminals, rapists, murderers, etc.

Many who tried to fight against Yautja hunters never came back alive; until 1987 when the first human had ever fought against a Yautja and lived to tell the world about his experience with an extra-terrestrial jungle hunter. That year, United States mercenary Alan "Dutch" Schaefer and his team of soldiers were sent into Val Verde to rescue hostages that had been taken prisoner by members of a South American drug cartel.

While his team was successful in rescuing the hostages from the enemy base and slaughtering every terrorist in the area; his men were soon being hunted down one by one with what seemed like a deadly blast of plasma energy. It wasn't easy for Alan to figure out what was killing his troops because the Yautja jungle hunter had used his active camouflage to keep himself cloaked from their notice.

When only Alan remained, he used his guerilla warfare tactics to hide from the jungle hunter and catch him in a makeshift trap he made. The jungle hunter then removed its bio mask and activated the self-destruct device on its wristband in an attempt to kill both Alan Schaefer and himself. Major Alan Schaefer survived the explosion created from the jungle hunter's suicide and lived to tell the tale of how his squad was slaughtered by some mysterious and hideous looking creature that clearly wasn't from Earth. Nobody believed his story and many thought he was making up this story to cover for the alleged murder of his entire squad.

The woman his squad saved from the drug cartel; named Anna Gonsalves had other words to speak however. She stated that some invisible creature tried to kill Alan's squad and was successful. Anna also explained that the only reason she didn't end up skinned alive by the alien hunter was because Alan told her to evacuate to a nearby Black Hawk helicopter which would lead her to safety.

Yet even with Anna's detailed and horrifying descriptions of their encounter with said alien hunter; they were both found to be guilty for this apparent "friendly fire incident" among Alan's squad and the attempt of framing it on an absurd matter that wasn't real. Anna eventually committed suicide with the memories of the alien hunter stalking her and Alan's squad in the jungle of Val Verde disappearing along with her living essence. Alan still lived, but remained incarcerated in a mental institution where he refused to deny the existence of extra-terrestrial hunters and how one slaughtered his squad and nearly killed him too before taking its own life.

* * *

Many years later in 2004 however, the company known as Weyland-Yutani dispatched a team of archeologists to the island of Bouvetøya; which was an island a thousand miles of the coast of Antarctica. This team of archeologists was sent to this island to investigate the location where satellite signals had picked up an abnormal heat signature on the island.

When analyzing the thermal imaging, it was discovered that a mysterious pyramid was buried 2000 feet below the thick layers of ice. After arriving on the island by helicopter at the abandoned whaling station and drilling through the ice; the team of researchers was finally able to explore the pyramid built below this Antarctic island.

What they found inside was evidence that humans had been visited by not one but 2 alien civilizations in the past. Even more disturbing was that one of these alien species had been directly responsible for the destruction of the Mayan peoples. The evidence was all around them and there was even a giant alien frozen in a state of cryostasis; which was a Xenomorph Queen.

The archeologists were soon met with some unexpected visitors that interfere with their research operations: Yautja hunters. A Yautja ship arrived and three of these hunters slaughtered all the humans present on the surface of the island. The Xenomorph Queen awoke and soon began to produce eggs; resulting facehuggers infecting the humans trapped inside the sacrificial chamber.

They soon had Xenomorphs spawned from them which quickly grew and started to wreak havoc among the pyramid. Two humans; Alexa Woods and Sebastian De Rosa learned about the truth behind the pyramid and how this was part of a ritual sacrifice carried out by the Yautja every 100 years. Sebastian was then killed by Alexa Woods in the form of a mercy killing after he became impregnated with one of the alien parasites; to which Alexa resisted with guilt but eventually complied.

When only Alexa one of the Yautja hunters remained, the two decided that they must work together to fend off the onslaught of Xenomorph Drones and the Queen. The Yautja hunter saw that this human female was unlike the others, as she fought bravely against the Xenomorphs just as well as any other Yautja would. However, the Yautja was then impaled on the blade at the end of the Xenomorph Queen's tail. Alexa managed to fend off the Queen and actually killed it; not without the help from the Yautja of course. The two killed the Xenomorph Queen by pushing her off a cliff into the freezing waters of the Antarctic Ocean. What lied for the two's future was soon to unfold.

* * *

The icy winds of the Antarctic Ocean filled the air around the island of Bouvetøya, as the two individuals stood on the snowy grounds. One was Alexa Woods, the last surviving member of the Weyland-Yutani research team sent to Antarctic to investigate an abnormal heat signature emanating from the island. All of her fellow associates were presumably dead or missing. How she managed to stay alive against the reckless alien threat that infested the now destroyed pyramid was purely a miracle. But in the cold Antarctic weather without any supplies left, her fate was surely guaranteed to come very soon.

The other individual of whom she stood upon the snow with was not a human being; as he was one of the strange alien hunters that arrived when the Xenomorphs were released. His species was known as Yautja. Alexa and her now missing partner Sebastian De Rosa had uncovered evidence of extra-terrestrial life and how it has been lingering here on planet Earth for a long time. Now the mysteries about how the ancient civilization of the Mayans disappeared without leaving a trance behind could be solved. But if humanity learned that what these alien had done to the Mayans thousands of years ago; wouldn't there be peace between these races?

Alexa thought that since she and this alien hunter managed to set aside their differences and unite against a common threat, maybe peace could happen. But peace wasn't on either of their minds at the moment; as the alien hunter was severely wounded and bleeding horribly. Alexa looked back and saw him clenching his wounds sapping with lime-green blood. It wasn't long before he collapsed onto his knees and roared out of the sheer agony he was experiencing. This horrified Alexa. She wasn't sure if she should help the injured and dying Yautja out. Her conscious then kicked in, telling her that she must attempt to save the Yautja hunter using whatever it takes; even in conditions like this. Hesitantly, she walked over to the Yautja who was sure that his come to pass was inching closer with every second the frosty air touched his damaged body.

Although Alexa thought the inhuman face of the Yautja hunter was horrifying and incredibly ugly to say the least, she heard him cry out welcoming death with open arms and as she got closer to him; Alexa saw a look of hopelessness in his eyes. This Yautja clearly did not want to die, as he was still very young for his kind and only recently became a blooded warrior; but this was information Alexa had yet to discover. Nevertheless, Alexa still decided that she must do what she could to save his life.

The wound in the Yautja's chest from his impalement on the Xenomorph Queen's bladed tail tip was deep and it had punctured a hole in his body. With no first aid kit to use on the injured Yautja, she realized that there was nothing that she could do to save his life. All she could do now was kneel down by his decaying body and say goodbye to the unexpected ally she met on this mission.

"I don't know who or what you are, but thank you for saving my life." Alexa said to the dying Yautja, almost teary eyed.

Even though he wasn't human, she knew that his pain at the moment was unbearable and death could claim him any minute now. The Yautja acknowledged her words, clicking his mandibles in response. He then grabbed some of his own lime-green blood and pressed his open claw against Alexa's right cheek. The contact on her skin was burning, as she grunted in pain and pushed away the Yautja's hand before the sudden aching disappeared. As if the abrupt ounce of pain wasn't enough for Alexa to bear at once, the Yautja then spoke to her again; but not in his native tongue.

"Scar…" He uttered out in a voice that sounded very raspy and hoarse; which must have been expected when jaws like a Yautja's were to imitate a human language.

Alexa could not believe her ears as she heard this alien speak to her in her own dialect which she assumed he would not be able to convey himself. But why did he only say one word, and why was that one word "scar" of all things? It was a question flowing freely inside Alexa's mind and she could not ignore it at all.

"D-did you just speak my language?" Questioned Alexa, almost stuttering at how shocked she was.

"And what do you mean by scar?" She questioned him further.

The Yautja then clicked his mandibles again before speaking to Alexa in English once more.

"…Scar…Remember…The name…" He replied, struggling to get the words out with all the pain he was experiencing.

It was beginning to make sense to Alexa now. What this Yautja said was apparently his name; an odd one at that Alexa would add.

"You're name is Scar?" Asked Alexa, brushing her hand against the side of her head. But as she did so, she noticed that something was not the same. An actual scar had formed there, one of which she was certain did not exist on her body a minute ago. Her eyes widened at the realization that Scar's blood must've formed the new scar on her right cheek.

"Yes." The Yautja replied, coughing up some of his lime-green blood almost immediately after his reply. Once he had stopped hocking up his own blood, he continued to speak to Alexa.

"That scar…on your skin…symbol for…honor." He explained to Alexa what the mark on her forehead supposedly meant.

Alexa took in what Scar said to her, on the notion that he was honoring her for their alliance on the pyramid now that it was his time to die. He then began to click his mandibles rapidly as he leaned his dead back down on the snowy ground. Scar was shivering and the heating net of which he wore was heavily damaged. Being the cold blooded creature that he was, the freezing weather around him was excruciating in every sense of the word. Alexa was not immune to the cold either despite being a warm blooded mammal biologically, as that along with dehydration were both starting to overcome her. She collapsed on the ground beside Scar and felt the icy surface against her face.

It seemed like Alexa and Scar would spent their last moments after such a short time together dying in the freezing Antarctic climate and there was nothing they could do to stop it from happening any other way. So Alexa just closed her eyes and accepted the unforgiving truth that she and this wounded Yautja would die together in a frosty grave.

Suddenly, Alexa's eyes opened wide again upon the realization of a bright light being shined down upon her. At first, she thought it was the sun; but as it grew brighter and it drew closer proved that it was not. It was some sort of spacecraft, as it did not look anything like a human aircraft at this point in time and appeared to be entirely alien in its design and the strange sounds it made as it landed on the island's frozen ground.

Scar seemed to be relieved at the sight of this ship's arrival, as he raised his head and let out a series of clicks from his mandibles upon seeing it. Alexa could not figure it out since she just did not have the energy to do so and instead lay on the icy ground. If this alien spacecraft descending onto the island was here to retrieve Scar; then what could she possibly have to gain from this? She thought about it and did her best to ignore the freezing grasp of the cold Antarctic winds blowing around her; but it proved to be ineffective.

Alexa desperately wanted to escape the Antarctic climate and this spacecraft seemed to be her only chance of salvation but she could only hope that whoever or whatever was aboard that ship had come to save her and possibly even Scar from both freezing to death. The alien spacecraft had finally touched down onto the island as it extended out its landing gear. Shortly after, a large and blinding light could be seen as what looked like a door opening on ship and a ramp extending itself out. Not only that, but Alexa could also faintly make out a couple strange alien figures exiting the ship and approaching her and Scar.

Though her vision was becoming blurry, they appeared to be the same species of Scar. The approached the two freezing individuals lying on the cold Antarctic snow as Scar called out to them in his native language which Alexa could not understand one click of. As her vision was blurred and she soon became light-headed, it wasn't long before Alexa passed out on the island's icy ground.

With Alexa now unconscious, the two approaching Yautja focused their sights on Scar as he desperately called out to save him from freezing to death out in the freezing Antarctic climate. He had achieved victory is his hunt and successfully slaughtered a Xenomorph Queen with help from Alexa, so therefore he did not fail and death was not obligatory should his fellow Yautja brethren spare him the end of his short-lived life. These two Yautja hunters approaching Scar were two of his brothers by blood, Celtic and Chopper.

As Celtic approached Scar, he knelt down on the ice and glanced at the gaping wound in his chest. Scar was gazing up at his fellow Yautja brother with nothing but sheer desperation for survival filling his eyes; to which Celtic acknowledged. He picked up his lacerated brother bridal-style and spoke to him in his native language.

" **Don't worry, brother. You will live to hunt another day.** " Celtic said to Scar in a series of clicks from his mandibles.

Scar was losing blood rapidly and becoming increasingly weak by the second, so he could not even reply. He simply just stared at his brother with his life hanging in balance, praying to Paya that he would be spared death for now. As Celtic began to carry Scar back to the mothership, Chopper took a glance at the human female passed out on the icy ground near where Scar had been laying there bleeding.

He noticed that she was still alive as his bio-mask was equipped with thermal heat vision, thus allowing him to read heat signatures of warm-blooded creatures. Chopper rolled over her unconscious body and was met with a sight that was beyond surprising to him. This human female currently in a state of comatose bared the Yautja Mark of Honor. With this symbol engraved into her flesh, she was now considered a blooded hunter by Yautja law.

Chopper couldn't believe it, as he spread out his mandibles out of pure awe. Almost immediately after, he called out to his comrade.

" **Celtic, this ooman female is still alive and she bears the Yautja Mark of Honor. What shall we do?** " He questioned their choices, as neither one of them had ever seen a human being with such an emblem etched into their skin before in the entirety of their lives.

Celtic did not believe his brother was serious, doubting that it was indeed true.

" **There is no way an ooman female can bear the Yautja Mark of Honor. You must be hallucinating, brother.** " Celtic replied out of utter scepticism.

" **If you do not believe me brother, then take a look for yourself.** " Chopper stated as he picked up the unconscious human female in the same manner that Celtic had done with Scar. As Celtic looked back at his fellow brother, he gasped in shock when he saw exactly what he denied was true. This human female was blooded and most likely didn't even know it as he could tell that it was a fresh scar on her facial cheek.

" **Paya, you are right. Get her aboard the mothership quickly. The other clan members and the elders must know about this news immediately.** " Stated Celtic, ordering Chopper to hurry and get Alexa aboard their clan's mothership before she would freeze to death in this Antarctic climate.

Chopper nodded and quickly followed Celtic up the ramp leading into the Yautja clan mothership. By now, both Alexa and Scar had been saved by fellow members of the clan. Though Scar was dying, advanced Yautja technology made it possible for their healers to save him from a wound of that magnitude intruding his body. Alexa however was still unconscious and had no idea that she remained alive. She was certain that those were her last dying breaths on the island of Bouvetøya and now she had met her maker. However, that was just not the case and the truth would soon be revealed to her about this mysterious race of alien hunters that attacked the ancient pyramid site on the island.

It was only a matter of time before Alexa would regain her consciousness not on Earth; but beyond where any human being has ever gone before.


	2. Chapter 1 - Aftermath

**Chapter 1:** **Aftermath**

Many hours had passed as Alexa finally began to stir. Her vision was blurry and disoriented after she was dead to the world around her for god knows how long in her mind. As Alexa slowly regained her sight, she noticed that she was not in any familiar place she recognized at all. Everything around her looked so alien, almost as if she was…now aboard the alien spacecraft that landed on the Antarctic island of Bouvetøya.

Alexa opened her eyes wide open and gasped out of complete shock as she looked around her surroundings. She was indeed inside the mothership that belonged to Scar's Yautja clan and the room she was currently situated in was some sort of infirmary. Over on the other side of the room, there was a bed that had an unconscious Yautja hunter lying atop; to which Alexa assumed might be the one who said his name was Scar.

Alexa then noticed that she wasn't wearing the same clothing she had on in her last memory back in the Antarctic. Instead, she found herself wearing something that looked eerily similar to what she saw the Yautja hunters wear. It consisted of loincloth made out of an alien metallic material and also some sort of fabric very reminiscent of an animal pelt, a heated fishnet and gauntlets of some sort with one of them having a computer that was hardwired into the gauntlet itself. She then noticed that even her hair had been molded differently, which was now braided into the form of dreadlocks apparently; most likely done to match the fleshy tendrils the Yautja bared on their skulls.

It was almost as if these alien hunters tried to meld her into something more evocative to the Yautja instead of her normal human self; doing so while she was still asleep.

"What the hell?" She said to herself as she looked at the new alien attire she wore, though not nearly loud enough to wake the unconscious Yautja in the room with her.

"What have they done with me?" Alexa continued to question what the Yautja clan members aboard the mothership had done to her. They obviously didn't cause her any bodily harm, but something just didn't feel right about any of this at all.

Alexa then noticed the one piece of Yautja attire that she realized she was not wearing; one that she had seen all of the hunters wear, a bio-mask. It was laying on a small table next to the bed Alexa was sitting upon next to what Alexa could only assume was a glass of water. Feeling thirstier than she thought she'd ever been in her entire life, she grabbed a hold of the water and chugged it down faster than she could count to 10. It had been hours since any water had touched her lips and Alexa felt so relieved to drink something.

After she set the empty glass back on the table, she took another glance at the Yautja bio-mask. It was polished to the point where its shine was reflective like a mirror to some extent but it wasn't Alexa's reflection that caught her attention at first. There was a symbol on the top of the helmet that just like everything else in the room looked so alien. Trying to figure out what this alien symbol on the helmet meant would've proven incredibly difficult for Alexa since it was completely indistinguishable in her mind, but then she looked back at her reflection shinning off the bio-mask in her hands. The scar on her right cheek was virtually identical to the symbol engraved onto the mask.

This caused Alexa to widen her eyes upon this shocking realization adding to the sense of bewilderment she was experiencing in this alien environment.

"This symbol…matches my scar?" Alexa questioned herself out of confusion to what this alien emblem was meant to represent. Along with this symbol and the new alien clothing she had woken up with; Alexa could see her reflection changing to represent something that no longer looked like a human being. Instead, Alexa saw a Yautja; one of these alien hunters. She remembered how she got the scar on her face to begin with, as it was Scar's doing. He had rubbed some of his blood on her face and that in turn burned in this into her flesh.

If Scar knew how to speak in her language, then perhaps he could provide her with the answer behind this question lingering inside her head that wouldn't let go until it was resolved. The only problem was that Alexa didn't know if Scar was alive or dead since her last memory before awaking aboard the mothership involved watching Scar bleed to death on the frosty Antarctic ground; so she couldn't tell for sure.

Not accustomed to this alien technology she was outfitted with, Alexa somehow managed to activate her new gauntlets by freak accident and they unsheathed out the wrist blades; startling Alexa in the process. She dropped the bio-mask on the floor at the sudden shock, which fell on the ground with a loud clanking noise. The sound of Alexa dropping the mask on the floor was apparently loud enough to wake up the Yautja who was in the room with her.

He immediately opened up his eyes and sat upright at the sudden loud noise of something metallic being dropped on the floor but then he forced himself to fly back down on the bed as he roared in pain. Alexa flinched at the sight of the Yautja present in the room hollering out of pure agony. The Yautja then lowered his voice with the pain going away as he laid himself back down on the bed. He then noticed Alexa standing there dressed in traditional Yautja attire and then spoke to her.

"Scar…" The Yautja said, indicating to Alexa that this Yautja was the one whom she had teamed up with back in Antarctica. It was Scar, and he was very much alive as Alexa could see. Though Scar had been wounded and he needed time to heal, he still had the strength to speak to Alexa. She then noticed that the Yautja in question had a large scar across his chest that seemed to have started healing relatively quickly. If he was a human, there would've been no way Scar could heal himself in such a short amount of time; but apparently the Yautja species possessed a remarkable healing factor that allowed them to recover from injuries much faster than humans.

Alexa took a moment to realize that his name was actually quite fitting now considering the massive blemish left by the Xenomorph Queen, but remembered that she had never given her name to the alien.

"Scar, you're still alive?" She asked him, still unsure if this was true or not.

"Yes…I'm…still alive." Scar replied to Alexa in the deep and raspy voice his English formed.

"If you knew how to speak my language, how come you never did so back on the pyramid?" Asked Alexa, confused about Scar's actions that didn't seem very forthright to her.

Scar simply said nothing and just shrugged in response. "Had translator…I guess." He then replied. Alexa could tell that his ability to speak her language was limited and him recovering from the skirmish on the pyramid probably wasn't helping either, so at least Scar had a reason.

"Your…wrist blades…activated." Scar said, stating that Alexa had unknowingly unsheathed out the weapon within her new Yautja gauntlets. He was fairly certain that one of her species wouldn't be able to use Yautja technology without some consequences made along the way, which he was right. Alexa looked at the blades again.

"I realize that, Scar. How do I make them retract?" She questioned Scar, anxiously wanting to disarm herself to prevent doing any damage to the ship she was aboard.

"Use…wrist computer console." Replied Scar. Alexa took his word of advice, but found that the wrist computer she was fitted with was of course; in a language she couldn't understand a single word of. Every single key on the console had an alien symbol marked onto them; which were most likely characters that made up this peculiar written alien language. Not knowing what to press, Alexa punched in a random combination of keys into the wrist computer console just to see what effect it would have.

Unsurprisingly, this did not withdraw the wrist blades back into their sockets in the gauntlet but instead activated some sort of red laser that was being emitted from the gauntlet itself. Alexa realized that was incorrect and it may cause more harm than good since this technology was entire alien to her and she had no idea what its full lethal potential was. She tried once again to fix the problem by typing in another combination of random keys on the console which also in turn brought indecisive results. This time she activated the active camouflage function; cloaking her from Scar's sight.

Alexa quickly became disoriented because of this, since she was now unable to see her own body. Since he was more accustomed to this type of technology than Alexa was, he knew how to spot one who was concealed by invisibility. He looked at Alexa; who looked like nothing more than a shimmer in the rest of the room with the active camouflage on and he spoke to her.

"Alexa…come…to me." He said, signaling Alexa to come over to him by his bed so that he could deactivate the cloaking ability on this piece of alien technology which she was completely unfamiliar with. Alexa figured that doing so would do more good than harm since she still had trust invested in Scar after the battle back on the pyramid, so she just took his word and walked over to him. As she approached Scar, he grabbed a hold of her arm with one claw in a gentle grip and with the other he typed in a combination into the wrist communicator console. That in turn caused the active camouflage ability to deactivate and the wrist blades to retract themselves into the gauntlet.

Once Alexa could now see her own hands and feet in front of her again, Scar let go of his grip on her arm.

"Thank you, Scar. I have no idea how this technology works and it was honestly freaking me out." Stated Alexa, relieved that Scar stepped in to assist her with working this Yautja technology.

Scar clicked his mandibles before replying to Alexa in her native language. "Don't worry…Yautja technology…far more advanced than Oomans." He spoke.

Just then, the doors to the infirmary the two of them stood inside flew open and in walked several more Yautja. Most of them looked just like Scar; minus the enormous mark on his chest left behind by the Xenomorph Queen, but two of them were different. One was obviously a male and he appeared to be much older than others; as evident by the noticeable wrinkles on his facial skin. He also wore a blood red cape; which must have meant to signify that he was a higher status than the others in this unknown alien society to Alexa.

The other one was undeniably a female because of the obvious mammary glands on its chest and slightly feminine figure, despite also being fairly muscular as well. Also, this Yautja female was even taller than the males. Alexa wasn't sure if Yautja females were larger than the males on average or if this individual was just extremely tall in general. Alexa didn't know what to do; especially since she didn't know if these Yautja could speak English like the way Scar did, but they didn't appear to be hostile so she just stood there.

Just then, the older Yautja spoke to Alexa. "Blooded Ooman female, welcome to the mothership of the Shadow Hunter Yautja Clan. My name is Zechaot. I was shocked to learn that one of my hunters had discovered you when we returned to pick up Scar from that freezing island on your home planet, and I am certain that you will make a fine addition to the clan." He spoke to her, in near perfect English.

It was almost as if he was a human in Alexa's ears; though his voice was still very coarse and raspy just like Scar's. "

What is going on here?" She nervously asked. Alexa was very confused by the statement of the Yautja Elder, unsure what exactly he meant by her now being part of a clan.

"You have been chosen by Scar as a Blooded warrior because of your courageous efforts on a hunt. The two of you managed to fend off against a horde of Kiande Amedha plus their Queen and still survive. While your injuries have been minimal, Scar here will need some time to recover under the observation of healer Gua'ytaan; especially after an impalement from a Kiande Amedha Queen's tail blade." Explained Elder Zechaot, introducing the female Yautja.

"You mean…I'm now one of your kind?" Asked Alexa, questioning if that meant what she thought.

"Indeed you are. But since you are now Blooded by Yautja law, that means you are considered at an age of maturity. Wherever you shall roam next on your hunts will be your choice." Elder Zechaot continued to elaborate, highlighting that Alexa still had freewill with her and that meant she could possibly get the chance to return to Earth.

"As tempting as it is to travel across the galaxy, I don't feel up for it. Sorry." Replied Alexa, stating that she was just not interested in living the Yautja hunter's lifestyle of drifting through space and hunting down dangerous life forms.

This caused the other Yautja in the room including Scar as well to just stare blankly at her, baffled by her bold statement.

"What do you mean, Ooman?" Questioned Elder Zechaot, confused beyond comprehension.

"First off, I have a name. It's Alexa Woods. I would like to be called by that please." Alexa said to the Yautja Elder, declaring that she was not comfortable with him calling her "ooman"; whatever that word meant. "Second, do you honestly think that you can just take me aboard your spaceship and take me to your home planet?" Alexa further questioned the actions of the Yautja.

"We did not know your name, ooman. I apologise for that. Also, we only visit the home world Yautja Prime once every 20 years to refuel the mothership and stock up on supplies. And would you rather have frozen to death out in the snow if we just left you there?" Zechaot questioned Alexa if she really wished she was dead and not alive aboard the Shadow Hunter Clan's mothership.

"N-no." Replied Alexa, slightly stuttering a bit. "Then Alexa, you may want to thank Chopper here for carrying your unconscious body out of the cold an aboard the clan's mothership." Stated Elder Zechaot, introducing one of Scar's fellow Yautja brethren.

Chopper then crossed his arms and looked at Alexa as if he was waiting impatiently for a thank-you from her. "Thank you…Chopper." Said Alexa, acknowledging his efforts to save her life back on Bouvetøya, Antarctica. Chopper simply nodded in response.

Suddenly, Scar left out a bloodcurdling roar of pain; catching the attention of Alexa and all the other Yautja present in the room. Something wasn't right and Alexa quickly became overwhelmed with fear. While she had no idea what was going on with Scar, the female Yautja healer named Gua'ytaan apparently did. She muttered " **z'skvy-de** " under her breath and ran over to Scar; only to be met with a foul surprise from Scar.

His chest burst open; spewing lime-green blood everywhere as a newly born Xenomorph broke out of the wound and hissed at Gua'ytaan. She knew what to expect unlike Alexa who was the most terrified of them all; having never witnessed a Xenomorph chestburster before in her short knowledge of this alien species' existence. Words could not describe how frightened she was at this gruesome sight of the alien hunter whom she invested her trust in now anguished by a parasite.

Gua'ytaan grabbed a hold of the Xenomorph in a tight grasp and pulled it out of Scar's exposed entrails. He couldn't help but roar in pain again once the female Yautja healer yanked the parasite out of his guts since this entire experience was nothing short of throbbing agony. The Xenomorph squirmed in Gua'ytaan's hand as it tried it's best to break free and run off, but of course the grip of this Yautja healer wasn't allowing such a thing to happen at all. She then whipped out a dagger that looked like it was made out of the same metallic alien material that the wrist blades and body armor plating were also made of as she said " **Die you wretched kiande amedha** " to the Xenomorph.

Although this Xenomorph had just been born, it was smart enough to sense danger and it knew that Gua'ytaan was trying to kill it since she had it in a tight grasp with a dagger ready to gut it alive. The Xenomorph then bit Gua'ytaan's claw, sinking its teeth in hard enough to draw blood. She yelped in pain, loosening her grip on the Xenomorph and also dropping the dagger on the floor. Gua'ytaan clenched the palm of her claw where the bite mark of the Xenomorph's teeth was; as even Yautja knew that the bite of a Xenomorph was painful beyond saying with their razor sharp teeth and two separate mouths.

With the Xenomorph now free from Gua'ytaan's grasp, it tried to quickly slither away from the group of Yautja and Alexa; possibly in an attempt to quickly grow and slaughter the Shadow Hunter clan members aboard the mothership. However, the Xenomorph didn't make it very far before it was met with a shot to the face with a round fired from a Yautja spear gun; leaving behind a fresh Xenomorph corpse laying in its bubbling, acidic and highly corrosive blood. The blood however did not melt through the floors of the ship because the metal that Yautja preferred to use on virtually all their technology was known as d'lex; which was chosen since it was resistant to the corrosive blood of the Xenomorph.

Alex and the Yautja turned to see the face of another Yautja holding a spear gun; which wasn't exactly a common tool that these hunters preferred to use while on hunts. He also was distinguishable from the others like Scar because of some visual differentiations on his body. This included several of his dreadlock-like tendrils being missing; almost as if they had been chopped off, his right eye also appeared to be completely white with a long mark running down his face and across the eye itself too and he even had a missing mandible.

Out of all the Yautja Alexa had seen so far, this one was undeniably the scariest. He then looked directly at her, flared his mandibles and hissed in anger.

" **You dare bring a filthy ooman aboard this ship?!** " He shouted to his Yautja associates in their native language, showing that he clearly had a strong and spiteful distaste for the human species.

" **Now listen here, Cage. This is no ordinary ooman. She calls herself Alexa Woods and she is Blooded by the Mark of Honor.** " Explained Elder Zechaot, hoping to encourage this Yautja hunter named Cage that he should let go of the hatred he held onto with "lesser species".

This did not convince him at all, as he just growled under his breath.

" **Blooded or not, she is still a worthless ooman.** " Cage said to the Yautja Elder before turning his back and walking away.

Alexa couldn't understand a single word of the Yautja's native language since it consisted primarily of clicks from their mandibles, leaving her with several questions about what this particular Yautja hunter said and why he seemed to be so deeply appalled by the human species. Elder Zechaot then looked back at Alexa as she was stuttering and still struck with fear.

"That was Cage, Alexa. I would recommend keeping your distance from him. He…doesn't like your kind at all." Elder Zechaot explained, hoping to ease Alexa's fretfulness caused by both Cage and the Xenomorph chestburster.

Alexa then raised an eyebrow.

"Well…then why does Cage hate humans so much?" She Questioned the Yautja Elder, in the promise of an answer to why he acted so fiendishly to her upon first sight.

"I am not completely sure, Alexa. Cage says that he almost lost a hunt to one of your kind before and almost died because of it, but never have I once encountered an ooman who could even best a Yautja in combat." Elder Zechaot stated the most likely reasoning behind Cage's revulsion for human beings though even he did not know the truth that lied behind it.

"I understand." Replied Alexa, taking the Yautja Elder's words for verity.

"I have business elsewhere with the clan Elders, Alexa. I suggest you remain here for the time being." Elder Zechaot said to Alexa before he too walked away to what she could only assume was some sort of meeting for the elders of the Shadow Hunter clan; leaving Alexa behind in the infirmary with Scar and the healer Gua'ytaan.

Gua'ytaan had wrapped a bandage around the bite wound from the Xenomorph chestburster on the palm of her claw, halting the bleeding but not ending the pain. She looked at Alexa, who seemed to no longer be afraid was now and more or less curious about her.

"Are all Yautja females this tall?" She questioned Gua'ytaan, a bit nervously since even she towered over the males whom Alexa had already seen like a giant.

Gua'ytaan clicked her mandibles before replying. While she was not as conversant in speaking this human dialect like Elder Zechaot was, Gua'ytaan still managed to develop a modest understanding of the language and therefore was able to speak to Alexa.

"Yes, Yautja females are generally larger than the males on average. Sometimes they can get a little intimidated by us too." Replied Gua'ytaan, cracking a joke towards the end of her statement. Alexa knew that Yautja understood the concept of humor, but Scar's taste was rather morbid to her as evident by how he scared her using a Xenomorph carcass.

"Don't worry, we will not make fun of you for being so short. Or at least I won't." Gua'ytaan added, showing Alexa that she apparently had a sense of wittiness underneath that fearsome appearance.

"Well that's something I'm glad to hear, even though I don't plan on staying here for long." Replied Alexa, relieved that not all the Yautja aboard this mothership were like the bitter hunter Cage.

This caused Gua'ytaan to tilt her head in confusion. "What do you mean?" She asked Alexa.

"I mean that I don't have plans to remain here with the rest of this Yautja clan. I still have a life back on Earth that I can't just abandon like that; although I am pretty sure everyone at my job now thinks I'm dead." Explained Alexa.

"What exactly was your profession back on your home world, Alexa? Surely you were a renowned warrior to be branded with the Yautja Mark of Honor, right?" Gua'ytaan asked, curious about what kind of life Alexa had lived before she came into contact with the Yautja on the ancient Antarctic pyramid. She assumed that Alexa had to be warrior of great nobility in order for her to become Blooded by Yautja law given Gua'ytaan's limited knowledge of human culture.

"I wasn't a warrior…" Began Alexa, pausing in an attempt to remember the name of the female Yautja healer.

Gua'ytaan could tell that and she was certain that her name would be quite difficult to pronounce in humans' tongues, so she opted to introduce herself to Alexa.

"Gua'ytaan, that is my name." She spoke to Alexa, placing her claw on Alexa's shoulder, which was a formal greeting in Yautja culture. This caused Alexa to feel a bit uneasy, since she didn't completely understand the norms of Yautja culture and partially because of how tall Gua'ytaan was compared to her.

"Relax, Alexa. This is just how we Yautja greet ourselves." Gua'ytaan realized this as well, explaining to her that she had nothing to fear from her at all since she had zero intentions to hurt any human that wasn't considered a threat; let alone one who had been granted the Yautja Mark of Honor.

"Ok then." Said Alexa nervously.

"Gua'ytaan, I was not a warrior back on Earth. I was an environmental technician working for the company Weyland-Yutani and I volunteered to become part of an expedition to the Antarctic island of Bouvetøya. That is when we came into contact with those strange parasitic alien creatures down there and then your clan intervened as well. Me and Scar were the only survivors, and it doesn't look like he's going to make it out alive." Explained Alexa, briefly telling Gua'ytaan what she had done in her life before being dragged out of the snow and brought aboard the mothership of the Shadow Hunter Yautja clan.

This only confused Gua'ytaan, as Alexa stated that she was not a warrior yet Scar had given her the Mark of Honor for her courageous efforts back on the pyramid. She also had a serious lack of knowledge about Yautja biology and had doubts if Scar would recover from his injuries.

"If you were no warrior back on Earth, then how did you manage to fight off the kiande amedha?" Questioned Gua'ytaan.

"I took martial arts classes before I signed up for Weyland-Yutani's Antarctic expedition. I was also experienced in mountain climbing as well." Alexa replied, adding an answer to a question that Gua'ytaan just could not ignore. That is when Scar spoke up again, gaining the attention of both Alexa and Gua'ytaan.

"Do…not…worry…Alexa. I…will…survive." He said in his raspy and coarse voice, struggling to get the words out of his mouth with all this immense pain flowing through him again. The wound from the Xenomorph Queen's tail blade impalement had almost fully healed, but of course it had to been lashed once again this time by a Xenomorph chestburster. Scar remembered at one point during the skirmish on the pyramid, a Xenomorph facehugger had latched onto him and forced a Xenomorph embryo down his throat, where it continued to grow rapidly until it eventually ruptured his wound and tried to make a run for it. Gua'ytaan then walked over to Scar and forced him to live down on the bed.

" **You must rest while I tend to your wounds, Scar. Remember that you will heal faster when you sleep.** " Gua'ytaan spoke to Scar in their native language.

" **But the pain is too much.** " Replied Scar, feeling like the unluckiest member of the clan to survive a near death while on a hunt, almost recover and have it all ruined once again by a Xenomorph chestburster.

" **A true Yautja hunter lives for pain, Scar. When this is all over, you will be one of the clan's most prominent hunters.** " Stated Gua'ytaan, encouraging Scar to not give up and live with the pain he was experiencing.

He looked at the female Yautja healer with uncertainty in his eyes that he would indeed survive and become a hero of the Shadow Hunter clan.

" **Trust me.** " Gua'ytaan said, gently tapping Scar on the shoulder to assure him that he had nothing to fear if he would just carry on.

Alexa saw it once again, the look in Scar's eyes as she watched Gua'ytaan try to sedate him. The look of hopelessness he gave her when the two of them were freezing on the icy ground of Bouvetøya, positive that both of them were bound by death and that was the end of their partnership for survival. She didn't know what to make of it, but one thing was for sure. That thing being that something lied beneath the haunting exterior of the beast that was the Yautja hunter were the eyes of a soul that was truly frightened and unsure about the future. If he managed to team up with her back on the pyramid and the majority of the Yautja aboard the Shadow Hunter clan's mothership, then maybe their kind weren't the kind of monsters that they appeared to be.

Alexa watched Gua'ytaan anesthetize Scar and all she could think about for some reason was if he would truly survive. She didn't get the chance to thank him for saving her life and also ask about the Mark of Honor that he branded her with. The answers to those questions still running through her mind would have to wait until Scar had finally healed from his wounds that would've meant death for any human being. Now that Scar was asleep, Alexa then looked up at Gua'ytaan and questioned her about Scar's chances of survival.

"Do you think Scar will make it?" She asked the female Yautja healer.

Gua'ytaan then formed what Alexa could only assume was a smile of some sort with her mandibles in response.

"He'll survive, Alexa. You have no need to worry. Yautja blood gives us an extraordinary healing factor compared to your species, so he will recover and it won't be too long either." Gua'ytaan Replied, tapping Alexa's shoulder in the same way that she had previously done with Scar.

After she explained that placing one's hand on another's shoulder was the Yautja equivalent of shaking hands, it came to no surprise to Alexa that this gesture was one about reassurance. Recalling how Scar managed to heal remarkably fast from the massive gaping wound that the Xenomorph Queen's tail had left on his chest, perhaps Gua'ytaan was right about him being able to heal quickly from his ruptured entrails left by the Xenomorph chestburster. She then walked over to Scar's unconscious body lying atop of the infirmary bed and placed her hand on Scar's face, feeling his skin.

It was strange to say the least, almost like a combination of soft human skin and strong reptilian scales. Not only that but it also felt surprisingly warm too. The touch of her hands did not wake Scar, so Alexa then whispered to him as well.

"Get well soon, Scar. I still want to get to know you before I leave." She said to Scar in his state of comatose before removing her hand from his face.

She knew that she didn't have to wait for long for Scar to heal, but that didn't answer her question to how long she would be aboard this Yautja clan mothership. Alexa wanted to return back to Earth and hopefully live a normal life there again without any intercession from extra-terrestrial life forms, but she didn't know if that would even be possible with her now a Blooded warrior by Yautja law.

Perhaps the Yautja inside her was here to stay and this was the new normal for her. Whatever the case, Alexa's life would never be the same from this experience and it would only get crazier as her journey with these Yautja hunters and their ultimate prey would soon unfold.


	3. Chapter 2 - Welcome to the Family

**Chapter 2: welcome to the family**

Being dragged aboard the mothership of the Shadow Hunter Yautja clan might as well have been the greatest experience Alexa ever had in her life; despite it frightening her to the bone at first with everything around her feeling so alien and enigmatic. Apparently waking up to discover that she was wearing alien clothing wasn't exactly the greatest sensation she could've had aboard the Shadow Hunter clan's mothership. She was never the one to question whether or not extra-terrestrial life truly existed within the Milky Way Galaxy on a daily basis, but now that was no longer a question that had to be left unanswered.

These alien hunters, these Yautja; whatever they were, Alexa found them remarkable. Sure they may have had a somewhat petrifying appearance to a normal human being with that otherworldly face of crab-like mandibles and those fleshy dreadlock tendrils; but they didn't see Alexa as lesser simply because she was a human. They openly embraced her and welcomed Alexa into their clan; with the rancorous and blemished Yautja hunter by the name of Cage being the only exception.

Alexa wondered why they treated her like she was one of their own kinds even though it was clear that she was not and truthfully stated that she wished to return to her home on planet Earth. Was it really because of that Mark of Honor that Scar branded her with on their last moments on the Antarctic island of Bouvetøya or was there something else inside Scar's mind? This was question that Alexa could not ignore but had no way to fulfill it with Scar resting to heal his wounds left by the Xenomorph Queen's bladed tail.

She remembered that the female Yautja healer Gua'ytaan told her about the astonishing healing factor that the Yautja species possessed in their genetic bloodstream, allowing them to nurse themselves back to health at a much more rapid state than humans could. With that set in mind, Alexa knew that she shouldn't have to wait that long to finally get an answer from Scar once he had healed. She still couldn't believe that Scar had survived impalement from a Xenomorph Queen's tail blade and also a Xenomorph chestburster. Had an injury like that happened on a human being, it would've meant nothing but death with no chance of survival. Alexa wasn't even sure if all Yautja were capable of surviving those kinds of grievances or if Scar was simply just a lucky individual to still be alive after all that excruciating agony. Whatever the case, all that mattered was that Scar would live and the possibility of receiving an answer to the Mark of Honor engraved on her cheek from her Yautja ally back on the ancient Antarctic pyramid laid within her mind.

She spent many hours inside the infirmary, watching over Scar's unconscious body. Every once in a while, Scar would wake up screaming in pain and agony; only to then fall back asleep. Alexa truly felt sorry for the Yautja and all the pain he had to go through, but she wasn't even entirely sure why she felt this way. Maybe it was because of the look of bleakness in his eyes of which he gave her when he was bleeding to death on the frozen ground of Antarctica and after the Xenomorph chestburster had ruptured his guts and splattered his lime-green blood everywhere.

Something about that look in Scar's eyes gave Alexa the feeling that she was looking at something that on the exterior appeared to be a beast; but behind the mask stood a soul that was hurt, lost and seeking something she could not quite figure out yet. Watching over his bandaged and insentient body as he rested gave Alexa this feeling about Scar and what he could have possibly been seeking. Perhaps Scar was looking for a purpose, to fulfill his destiny as a Yautja hunter and pass on his skills and knowledge to a worthy apprentice if that was possible in the future for him.

As Alexa stood there watching over Scar, the blast doors the infirmary flew open and in walked Gua'ytaan; surprised to see that Alexa was still there watching Scar almost as if she was growing attached to him. Maybe she was, maybe she wasn't; the truth could not be told yet because even Alexa was unsure about it all.

"You're still here, Alexa?" Gua'ytaan asked the blooded human female as she approached her.

Alexa let out a sigh in response. "Yes." She replied, almost sounding embarrassed that she was doing so.

"I understand that you're concerned about Scar's survival. But you have no need to worry, Alexa. He will survive." Stated Gua'ytaan, assuring Alexa that this wounded Yautja would soon stand once again.

She wanted to have faith in the words of the female Yautja healer, but doubt still lingered inside her and the image of that Xenomorph chestburster perforating his chest continued to haunt her as well.

"How can I believe what you say?" Alexa questioned Gua'ytaan.

"I am a healer, Alexa. I know my way around Yautja biology; unlike you." Replied Gua'ytaan. She knew that Alexa was not very knowledgeable on topics such as Yautja biology since she only recently discovered that their species even existed and that extra-terrestrial life did in fact subsist within the galaxy.

Alexa knew that she just had to accept the word of Gua'ytaan since she was at the moment one of the only Yautja aboard this clan's mothership whom she knew as trustworthy and nursing the wounded back to health was her profession, so she did just that.

"Ok, Gua'ytaan. If Scar will survive from his wounds, then how long will it take?" Inquired Alexa, curious about how long it would take for Scar to recover. She knew that his wounds from the Xenomorph Queen had been almost healed once she woke up aboard the Shadow Hunter clan's mothership, but only gave the question of how long she had been out cold for.

"It may take a whole day for his wounds to rectify themselves, Alexa." Stated Gua'ytaan.

"Come, a meal is being served in the dining hall and I'm certain that you haven't eaten in a while." The female Yautja healer added as she turned to walk away. It felt like ages since Alexa had eaten anything and she felt her stomach rumbling, so she opted to follow Gua'ytaan to this dining shall she spoke of.

As Alexa followed the female Yautja healer through the corridors of the mothership to the dining hall, a new question found itself imbedded into her mind. That question being what exactly these Yautja ate. She recalled how their species had those crab-like mandibles on their faces and most of them were ripped and muscular; even the females like Gua'ytaan, so she naturally assumed that this race of alien hunters were carnivorous. It was a fair guess for Alexa to make given her current limited knowledge of the Yautja species.

Since she knew that Gua'ytaan was a healer and therefore much more knowledgeable about Yautja biology; Alexa thought that asking her would provide a clear answer to this query inside her mind.

"Gua'ytaan, what exactly does your kind eat? You Yautja aren't carnivores, right?" Asked Alexa.

"That is a common misconception that many species within the Milky Way Galaxy have about us. We Yautja are not actually carnivorous, but rather omnivorous; though we tend to eat more meat than plants if that is what you are asking." Explained Gua'ytaan, resolving Alexa's question and bringing a sense of surprise to her as well.

This was not what Alexa was expecting at all and she couldn't blame these other alien species who resided within the Milky Way Galaxy of whom she had never heard of before for their misconceptions about the Yautja race. One normally wouldn't look at one of these fierce and rather terrifying alien hunters and take them for vegetarians. The mandibles on their faces was a clear giveaway and whatever these Yautja fed on must have been alien creatures since they had already developed interstellar travel beyond the stars while humanity at this point in time had yet to even establish a colony on Mars; let alone even land a manned mission on the red planet.

For how long these Yautja had been roaming the Milky Way Galaxy hunting down dangerous lifeforms in the name of their all-powerful warrior goddess Paya was but a mystery to Alexa; but from what she learned on the pyramid back on Antarctica was that they had been around on Earth since the days of the Mayans. It was clear that they had possessed technology this advanced for several millenniums; though the exact dates could not be confirmed.

Whatever the case, Alexa could only wonder what this alien meat she was supposedly going to dine upon among these Yautja would taste like. Her hunger was starting to kick in after so long without any food.

The two of them entered the dining hall as the blast doors flew open to reveal a large room with a massive table set in the middle. Surrounding it were various chairs; all of which were built in an identical and alien design. Many of the Yautja of whom Alexa had already met, such as Elder Zechaot and Chopper could be found sitting at this massive table, conversing in their native language to one another. Something about the indigenous language of the Yautja was very unsettling to Alexa; mainly because it consisted primarily of assorted clicks from their mandibles and not a single word or syllable she could comprehend at all. It sent chills down her spine, but she knew that they were most likely not even talking about her in the first place.

She took a seat and sat down next to Gua'ytaan at the table, as eyes began to turn to her. She felt uncomfortable yet again with all these Yautja; males and females, young and old alike just staring at her. Alexa was the anomaly among these pureblood Yautja, a human being and yet she was dressed up as one of these alien hunters. She never truly felt like an outcast until now, which was by no means a good feeling to have. Gua'ytaan then whispered to her.

"Do not fear them, Alexa. They are curious about an ooman joining their brethren. That is all." She murmured in a voice quiet enough for just her and Alexa to hear it.

Alexa remembered that the Yautja Elder Zechoat himself stated that she was now part of the Shadow Hunter clan, so perhaps Gua'ytaan was right about another thing besides Yautja biology or whether Scar would survive or not.

_The Yautja species look like vicious brutes on the outside but really they are very wise_. She thought to herself as she accepted Gua'ytaan's words.

Alexa took a look at what was set out in front of her seat at the table. There appeared to be a dish but nothing was on it at the moment and there were also no signs of any type of utensils or silverware anywhere. What Alexa did find however were too glasses; one of them looking just like the one she found back in the ship's infirmary filled with water while the other looked much fancier and it was instead of water it contained a strange liquid with a dark brown colour to it. If Alexa had to guess what this strange alien beverage was, she would assume that it must have been the Yautja equivalent of wine. Just then, Elder Zechoat stood up from his seat at the table and began to address the clan members of the Shadow Hunter clan and to Alexa's surprise; he was doing so in English instead of the native language of the Yautja.

"My fellow Yautja of the Shadow Hunter clan. As you may know, our hunters Celtic and Chopper have found something peculiar from the frozen grounds of Earth's Antarctic region while retrieving Scar from the hunt. That would be Alexa Woods, the ooman female who bears the Mark of Honor on her flesh. I am making this announcement in her language rather than our own so that she may understand my proclamations to say." Began the Yautja Elder.

Some found it confusing that he would even bother speaking the language of a species whose greatest goal in space travel so far was planting the flag of a nation state on their planet's moon and were one of many species across the Milky Way to be plagued by a common primitive weakness. One such Yautja was Cage, the bitter and blemished Yautja who found humans to be utterly disgusting creatures.

He didn't care that Alexa wore the Mark of Honor on her cheek, as he felt that Yautja and only Yautja alone deserved to bear such a symbol of admiration. Cage simply rolled his eyes as Elder Zechoat brought up Alexa Woods and also continued to ignore the speech of the Elder Yautja in the process.

"She not only fought bravely against the infestation of kiande amedha on the ancient pyramid but also saved the life of Scar. Though he has been wounded by both a kiande amedha Queen and a z'skvy-de; healer Gua'ytaan is certain that he will indeed make a full recovery from his injuries. We shall welcome this ooman female into our bloodline for she has demonstrated her worth and spared the life of one of our younger hunters." Elder Zechoat continued to speak in Alexa's native tongue, of which the other Yautja situated at the table understood either by knowledge of this human language or simply by the use of a translator.

"And to that, we shall drink to Alexa's induction into the Shadow Hunter clan." Said Elder Zechoat, grabbing a hold of a glass containing that strange alien beverage Alexa remembered seeing in front of her at the table as he raised it into the air.

The other Yautja then followed suit, rising up those glasses in what Alexa then realized was a toast to her inauguration into the Shadow Hunter Yautja clan.

"To the clan's latest hunter, Alexa Woods!" Elder Zechaot chanted proudly, almost as if he was content that a human engraved with the Yautja Mark of Honor found herself into the clan's bloodline. In fact, he was. He had always believed that only Yautja were capable to bearing the Mark of Honor but unlike Cage; he found himself questioning whether or not that was true when Chopper brought Alexa Woods out of the Antarctic winds and aboard the clan's mothership.

Perhaps maybe other species besides Yautja could wield a symbol of honor and courage if Alexa Woods, a human female was capable of teaming up with a Yautja hunter and earning it in the process was able to.

The other Yautja clan members then chanted back; some in English just like the Elder and others doing so in their native language instead. It was clear that not all Yautja could speak human dialects because of the design in their jaws; though they seemed to understand it just fine. They then proceeded to drink whatever strange alien beverage was inside those glasses, further surmounting Alexa with curiosity about what exactly it was.

She looked in front of her and took a glance at the glass containing the alien drink; before hesitantly grabbing it. Alexa gave it a sniff first, noticing how it smelt like alcohol of some sort; which must have been no surprise since this was what the other Yautja clan members used to toast her induction into their clan. Without any further ado, she then took a sip of this odd alcoholic alien beverage.

The taste was brutal; almost like whiskey on steroids. Alexa couldn't help but cringe after she took only one taste since it was far beyond the range of alcoholic drinks back on Earth that she could tolerate. She carefully tried setting the glass back down on the table, trying hard not to spill a single drop.

"The c'nlip is too strong for your taste, ooman?" A nearby voice spoke. It immediately grabbed Alexa's attention because she knew it didn't belong to Gua'ytaan since it sounded a lot deeper; possibly belonging to a male Yautja and it was coming from her right while Gua'ytaan was situated by Alexa's left.

She looked over and was met with a Yautja who looked a lot like Scar; but Alexa could tell it was not him because he had a different colour in his eyes and no massive pockmark present across his chest. Like Gua'ytaan, this male Yautja seemed to be able to speak her language fairly well too; thus preventing the possibility of a communication barrier between her and the Yautja.

"The what?" She asked the male Yautja as she did not quite make out the word he said that sounded like it was from a completely different language; which it was.

"The c'nlip. It's an intoxicating drink we Yautja have on special occasions, such as when a new member is inducted into our clan." Explained the Yautja male.

It was certainly an odd name, one which felt very alien to her; just like everything else aboard this alien spacecraft.

"Y-yeah, I can't handle this drink. What's your name?" Replied Alexa, curious to know who this Yautja was.

"My name is Wolf, I am a good friend of Scar and I heard that you saved his life back there. You have my gratitude for rescuing Scar, Alexa Woods." The Yautja male replied, introducing himself and revealing that he also knew Scar.

This made Alexa feel relieved that someone else was grateful for the survival of this particular Yautja hunter; but his reason was because he was a dear friend of Scar while Alexa still wasn't entirely sure why. Wolf was thankfully the polar opposite of Cage, as he was not spiteful of her kind at all.

"Well I didn't just save his life, but he also saved mine. It was kind of a 'you scratch my back, I scratch yours' scenario." Explained Alexa, informing Wolf that while her actions may have been courageous; her intentions were purely just to survive and she was willing to team up with Scar only because of the common threat of the Xenomorph infestation.

Despite this, Wolf didn't seem to care. He was just simply glad to know that his friend Scar was still alive and surprised by the fact that he had partnered ways with a human female whom he would brand with the Yautja Mark of Honor as a reward.

"Whatever the case, I would like to welcome you to the Shadow Hunter clan, Alexa." Said Wolf, placing his hand on Alexa's shoulder.

This time Alexa was not evasive as when Gua'ytaan did so for the first time because now she knew that it was just the Yautja equivalent of a handshake and that Wolf was just trying to give her a formal greeting.

"Thank you, Wolf. Not all the Yautja I've met here have been quite as welcoming as you have." Stated Alexa. Wolf raised a brow in response.

"Is that so? Which Yautja have you met then?" Questioned Wolf out of curiosity.

"I've only really met Elder Zechaot and the healer Gua'ytaan. They seem to like me just fine, but I have a strange feeling that Cage doesn't like me." Alexa explained, highlighting the Yautja whom she met after awaking aboard the Shadow Hunter clan mothership; thus excluding Scar.

"Cage? Oh, yes. He holds a strong distaste towards oomans and he might even try to kill you if he gets the chance; though it is strictly prohibited by the Honor Code to murder another Yautja with intent. So I recommend that you stay away from him at all costs." Wolf elucidated onto why the resentful Yautja Cage held onto a strong aversion towards the human species; though Alexa wasn't satisfied with what he had to say.

"That's exactly what Gua'ytaan told me earlier. Why does Cage hate humans so much?" Questioned Alexa once more.

"Cage was almost killed by an ooman during a hunt he took 100 years ago and he's kept that grudge ever since if that answers your question." Wolf explained in greater detail than previously before, this time giving Alexa the answer she was searching for.

"So, Cage is one who holds strong grudges. I guess I should just take you and Gua'ytaan's word and stay away from him then." Said Alexa in response.

Eventually, the food arrived at the table by the hands of several other Yautja; many of which appeared to be females. They placed plates of tonight's dinner in front of each Yautja sitting at the table; something that Alexa was eagerly waiting for. When one of the servants finally placed a plate down in front of her, Alexa looked at the food that she had been given and then took a quick glance around the dining hall, noticing a drastic difference in what the servants had placed in front of her.

What Alexa had been given was apparently a plate filled with lots of indistinguishable alien meat and also some fruit on the side too; which also looked otherworldly in appearance. The drastic difference being that the meat she was given was cooked and also well done, but the Yautja were eating red, uncooked meat dripping with blood. The strong scent filled the air of the dining hall, making it smell more like a butchery in Alexa's mind.

With no utensils present anywhere, it became apparent to Alexa that these Yautja ate bloody raw meat with their own bare hands. This was shocking to Alexa because up until this point, they seemed to be so civilized in their own way and technologically advanced; yet here they ate like a bunch of wild animals. Alexa hesitantly took a piece of meat off her plate using her bare hands just like what the other Yautja at the table were doing. She then noticed that this alien meat whatever it was actually didn't smell too bad, so perhaps maybe it was edible.

Alexa took a bite of the meat and suddenly lost focus on the other Yautja in the dining hall once she was met with the taste of whatever this alien meat was. It was surprisingly delicious. Nothing special, but it was clearly good enough to take her mind off the Yautja gnawing away at some bloody uncooked meat. After a few mouthfuls of meat, Alexa decided to give the alien fruit a try too. She remembered how Gua'ytaan told her that Yautja were actually omnivorous and knew that she was telling the truth because Alexa could see fruits of the same variety on everyone else's plates.

Needless to say, the fruits that she was served with the meat weren't that bad either. They actually tasted quite sweet and tart; something that Alexa was hoping for but not expecting at all. Maybe these Yautja were civilized just like Alexa thought before she witnessed their grisly eating habits; just vastly different to humanity's standards.

Once the meal had been finished, the servants returned to collect the plates and carry them off to what Alexa could only assume was the kitchen of the ship. As she stood up from the table, she was met up with Gua'ytaan yet again.

"So, did you enjoy your meal?" Gua'ytaan questioned Alexa.

"Yeah, it actually wasn't too bad. But how come everyone else was eating raw bloody meat when mine was cooked?" Asked Alexa out of some slight morbid curiosity in her mind at the moment.

"I thought you oomans preferred to have your meat cooked instead of eating it raw?" Replied Gua'ytaan out of utter confusion.

"We do, just why were the Yautja eating it like that?" Alexa questioned once more, being more specific in her query on the discussion at hand.

"Yautja generally prefer to eat their meat uncooked. Believe me; the servants accused me of 'desecrating' valuable meat when I told them that your meal tonight would have to be cooked. You can thank me for that, by the way." Explained Gua'ytaan. Alexa then realized that Gua'ytaan was the reason why she was given an exclusive meal made just for her and since she was one of the few Yautja within the clan whom Alexa knew and trusted. So thanking her for convincing the servants to provide Alexa with her own special meal was only logical.

"Thank you, Gua'ytaan. That was incredibly thoughtful of you." She said to the female Yautja healer with sincerity in her voice.

"Anything for the latest member of the Shadow Hunter clan, Alexa." Replied Gua'ytaan.

Just then, Wolf approached the two of them and spoke up to Alexa.

"Alexa, I have received word that Elder Zechaot has granted you permission to use Scar's personal quarters for sleeping tonight until he fully recovers in the infirmary." Stated Wolf, informing Alexa that the Yautja aboard this mothership were indeed trying to accommodate her just like one of their own; which she technically was and wasn't since Alexa was a blooded human being.

"Well I am starting to feel a little tired right now, so could you lead me to it?" Asked Alexa. Wolf couldn't help but chuckle a little bit when he heard Alexa tell him that she was in fact getting tired.

"Typical oomans, sleeping a lot. Even though you're a blooded one Alexa, you are still…" Began Wolf, only to be interrupted by Gua'ytaan who was not impressed with his sense of humor; or rather the lack of substance.

" **Wolf, please not now. Just take her to Scar's quarters where she can sleep for the night.** " She spoke to her fellow Yautja brother in their native tongue. Wolf clicked his mandibles before replying. " **Fine.** " He said in response.

"Follow me, Alexa." He said to her as he started to walk down one of the many corridors of the mothership with Alexa following her close behind.

"You seem to be getting along with Gua'ytaan very well." Stated Wolf.

"She was the first Yautja I met on this ship who didn't scare me, so yes I am." Replied Alexa.

"Did you know that she is my sister?" Questioned Wolf. Alexa was quite surprised, as Gua'ytaan never mentioned that any of the Yautja aboard the mothership were her brother by blood; either that or Alexa must have misinterpreted what she said earlier.

* * *

 

As Wolf and Alexa arrived at Scar's private sleeping quarters, the blast door flew open and Alexa walked inside. She could see all sorts of alien skulls lined up on display like they were some proud possessions of Scar; which in fact they were. Whatever species these skulls belonged to, Alexa could not identify a single one. After all, the Yautja were humanity's first encounter with extra-terrestrial life forms.

"Just try not to break anything, Alexa. Scar won't be pleased to find out that his savior and the ooman female he blooded trashed his belongings, now would he?" Asked Wolf.

Alexa simply nodded in response. She knew that he was right at the last thing she wanted was two Yautja in this clan on her back with a strong resentment for her. Besides, Cage was already more than enough to begin with.

"Good, then take care for the night." Said Wolf before the blast door shut, leaving Alexa alone inside Scar's private quarters. She looked around the room, analyzing everything in sight. She had already noticed the collection of strange alien skulls, but Alexa soon discovered a bunch of fancy looking Yautja weapons which Scar had also placed upon the walls of his quarters. They were engraved with prints of what Alexa could only assume was the Yautja language in print; which wasn't any easier for her to understand than their oral language was apparently. Alexa then noticed what appeared to be a small plasma window that gave her a glimpse of outer space. Sure she had looked up to night sky before countless times in her life, but never once did she ever believe that she would indeed travel into space; accompanied by a bunch of alien hunters in addition to that.

All she could do for a while was stare off into space and wonder, just what is out there. She missed Earth and being surrounded by these Yautja gave her this unsettling feeling that she would never see Earth or even another human being again in her life. That was something that bothered Alexa greatly, but she had hope that maybe she would eventually return to her home planet. She had the same feelings earlier about Scar's survival, so maybe there was a chance that it could happen. Only time would tell…


	4. Chapter 3 - Awakening of the Beast

**Chapter 3: Awakening of the Beast**

Alexa spent the night resting in Scar's private quarters granted to her by none other than Elder Zechaot himself. She found herself looking at all the strange objects that Scar had in his room because they were so alien to her and she wanted to know more about these Yautja hunters. Clearly they were a civilized and technologically advanced species far beyond humanity; but some aspects of their culture just felt so...different to put it bluntly. There was no other word that Alexa could've used to describe Yautja culture when comparing it to humans.

They were obviously not savages and they welcomed her warmly aboard the Shadow Hunter clan mothership and into their bloodline because of the Mark of Honor of which Alexa bared. She eventually realized that having such a symbol engraved into her skin meant total admiration from most Yautja since respect must be earned before it can be given, no matter what culture of sentient life it belongs to. It all started to make sense why the clan members whom he had already met treated her just like one of their own; with Cage of course being the one and only exception.

Alexa remembered that Wolf told her the true reason why Cage hated the human species was because of a failed hunt he partook in over 100 years ago where he was almost killed by a human. The only thing however, she had no idea if it was even possible for a human to kill a Yautja. They were clearly much stronger than human beings and she was lucky that Scar chose to spare her life and instead form an alliance with her back on the pyramid. But then again, she thought it would be impossible to kill the Xenomorphs as well but Scar and her own survival instincts proved her wrong.

The truth was that if something bleeds, then it is in fact possible for it to be killed. Scar could've died back there, but he didn't. Alexa still didn't know if that was pure luck that Scar still lived or if all Yautja could survive a wound of that size. Whatever the case, she was glad to know that he wasn't going to die anytime soon and that feeling helped her sleep well that night.

The bed inside Scar's quarters was quite soft and warm as the blankets seemed to have been made out of animal hide just like the fabric in the loincloth that Alexa found herself wearing when she first woke aboard the mothership. She had no idea how to remove the wrist blades despite being able to successfully take off all the other articles of Yautja clothing she was wearing that day, so she opted to just sleep with them still on anyway. Thankfully, she did not activate them by total accident while sleeping.

She was awoken the next morning with the feeling that someone or something was stroking her face. Whoever it was that was doing this was clearly being gentle as each caress was handled with a gentle touch. Alexa figured that it was another one of the Yautja, since she was the only human being aboard this vessel; which she was entirely correct. She slowly opened her eyes as her blurred vision soon came into focus, revealing the figure that was tenderly touching her unconscious face.

Alexa quickly widened her eyes and sat up right in the bed as she saw the Yautja kneeling by the bedside. This Yautja looked quite familiar to her, as evident by the massive blemish present on his chest. By no doubt, it was Scar.

"S-Scar? What are you doing here?" She questioned the Yautja, confused by his actions and why he wasn't in the ship infirmary anymore.

"Fully…recovered." Scar said in response. Alexa then realized that unlike Elder Zechaot, Wolf and Gua'ytaan; Scar could not speak her language fluently. He had to pause frequently whenever speaking to Alexa in her native tongue but she couldn't blame him since it looked extremely hard to speak a language such as English with jaws like a Yautja. They were clearly not designed for speaking a dialect like this, yet they were able to do so anyway.

"I honestly didn't think you were going to survive, Scar. If I had taken that wound like you, I would be dead meat for sure." Said Alexa, addressing her earlier concerns about his chances for survival.

"Heard that…from… Gua'ytaan. Said you…watched over me…with worry." Replied Scar. He had already been told by the female Yautja healer Gua'ytaan that Alexa had been watching over his unconscious body for several hours and she also seemed to be extremely anxious about something. Neither Scar nor Gua'ytaan could tell if it was because she wanted him to live or if she had some questions to ask him; but the truth was that I involved both.

"I did. I was scared that you would die and I had some things I needed to say to you." Alexa said in response. Scar seemed to be interested in whatever Alexa had to tell him or rather ask him in this case, so he opted to listen on her behalf.

"What…is it?" He questioned her with curiosity.

"I want to know about the symbol you engraved into my cheek. Your people call it the Mark of Honor, but why did you give it to me?" Asked Alexa. It felt like a sweet release to finally let this question off her chest for what felt like an eternity in her mind. She waited for Scar to finally give her the answer to this question of which she desired for what almost felt like forever. Was it because he wanted to express his gratitude towards her for saving his life back on the pyramid, or was it bound to be something greater? The truth would soon be revealed.

Scar clicked his mandibles once again before he replied to Alexa.

"You…proved your worth…true Yautja…by blood. Thank you…for sparing…my life." Said Scar in response.

Alexa was somewhat right in her prediction to why Scar had given her this strange alien symbol to bear on her flesh for the rest of her life, but also because of how she had supposedly demonstrated her worth to become a blooded warrior by Yautja law. What she did not know until now was that Scar equally owed his life to her. After all, the two of them had spared each other's lives and fought together against the Xenomorphs.

"I just couldn't bear to see you die, Scar. Sure, you may be a monstrous alien in the eyes of a human like me; but something told me that you were more than that and didn't deserve to meet such a bitter fate." Replied Alexa. She wanted to be pure and honest with the Yautja hunter because the same reason why she didn't want to watch him die on the frozen Antarctic ground; a reason of which she did not know.

It was very confusing especially with her becoming a member of the Shadow Hunter Yautja clan and the doubt she had if she would ever get to return back to planet Earth. Even if Alexa did get the chance to go back to the human home world, it was very likely that she would no longer be living a normal life after what she had experienced aboard the Yautja clan's mothership despite it not traumatizing her in any given way so far.

"You…care for…fellow Yautja…brethren now?" Questioned Scar. He was under the impression that Alexa now cared about the lives of the Yautja hunters because of how she was technically considered one by law.

"I'm not a Yautja, Scar. I'm a human being and that's all I'll ever be. But I do care about the lives of your clan members, Scar. Hell, I even felt bad for you before I even knew that I was part of the Shadow Hunter clan." Explained Alexa, stating that she was a human by blood yet she still stood among the members of the Shadow Hunter Yautja clan and she even felt sorrow for Scar; uncertain if he would truly recover or not.

"But…Why? Aren't oomans…judgemental…in prejudice?" Scar questioned once more.

"Yes, we are. But no two humans are the same. There is so much about humanity that you have yet to learn about, Scar." Replied Alexa as she climbed out of the bed and began to put her Yautja armor back on.

Scar took this statement in for a moment. He remembered being taught that Yautja were the purest and strongest race in the entire Milky Way Galaxy, superior to all other species out there; yet not weakened by such primitive faults like war. The human species, which the Yautja commonly referred to as 'oomans' and to a lesser extent an insult known as 'pyode amedha'; which when translated into English loosely meant 'soft meat'.

The Yautja knew about the many wonders of the Milky Way Galaxy that humanity had yet to uncover themselves; such as massive alliances of various extra-terrestrial races of which the Yautja were not affiliated with in any sense and ancient artifacts that lingered in space as remnants of long-gone alien civilizations. Yet the Yautja knew only a limited knowledge of the human species. They knew that the ancient Mayan peoples from thousands of years ago on planet Earth once worshiped their kind as if they were Gods and that humanity at the current time was still considered to be "primitive" by galactic standards since their planet was still divided and they had yet to develop technology capable of granting humanity interstellar travel.

But something about the humans was unique, their determination to discover the unknown and fight against the very weaknesses weighing them down. They seemed very interested in the idea about extra-terrestrial life; which would explain the expedition team that Weyland-Yutani had sent to the Antarctic Circle. However, they also feared extra-terrestrial life as well; considering how Alexa seemed to be afraid of Scar at first. It could not be denied that the humans were an interesting species and they had something great to truly offer the Milky Way Galaxy; but that time had not yet arrived.

Scar wanted to know more, as something about this human female captivated him. She fought just as well as any Yautja on a hunt and she seemed to deeply care about Scar a lot, making her more than worthy enough to bare the Yautja Mark of Honor on her flesh. Before he even knew it, Alexa had already left his private quarters and he was now alone in this room.

Alexa had left the private quarters and was now heading towards the bathing chamber since she felt it was about time that she cleaned herself. From what she had heard, this Yautja bathing chamber was supposedly like one of those public bathhouses that existed in ancient Rome. At first she thought that having to share a bath with one or perhaps several of these Yautja wouldn't be a very comfortable experience; but she remembered that most of them treated her as an equal because of her Mark of Honor. The chances of one of them trying to take advantage of her or even look at her bleakly were very slim, so Alexa assumed that she had nothing to worry about.

As she entered the bathing chamber, she was met with the night of a massive bath that appeared to be the size of a swimming pool. Several Yautja could already be seen inside, most of them being males and a few of them were females. They were all oblivious to Alexa entering the bathing chamber, as they just kept on bathing themselves in the steaming hot water. There were also some towels of some kind hanging on a rack near the bath. With them not paying any attention to Alexa, she began to strip down her Yautja clothing.

She felt uncomfortable if there was any male in the presence of her while doing so, but she figured that most Yautja males weren't even sexually attracted to human females anyway so they probably wouldn't give her an unnerving stare. Once she was now naked, Alexa began to slowly tread into the water of the bath. The water itself felt so warm and relaxing, giving Alexa the feeling of solace. She couldn't help but give a slight moan out of how good the water felt on her body; which in turn caught the attention of the Yautja inside the bathing chamber with her.

Their looks at her were brief, as they were simply nothing more than just quick glances over to see that the blooded human female was indeed bathing in the chamber with them. They didn't seem to care about her being there anyway, so it really didn't matter. Alexa just continued to immerse herself in the warm water as she thought about Earth, the likelihood that her family thought she was dead and the strangest out of all her thoughts of the moment being…Scar. She wasn't sure why she was thinking about Scar again, but it brought a convivial feeling to her and that was all that mattered at the moment.

After all, Alexa needed something else to dwell on instead of if her true human family by blood was under the impression that she was killed on that Antarctic expedition. Staying positive in a time and place like this was a priority of her.

While most of the Yautja inside the bathing chamber did not seem to care that Alexa was in there with them, there was the rancorous Yautja Cage present; who Alexa knew thanks to Gua'ytaan for having a strong grudge against her species. He stood at the opposite end of the bath from where Alexa was situated and just glared at her. Cage also had the overpowering urge to lash out on her due to his extreme detestation for humans; but he knew that if he tried to attack Alexa in the presence of other Yautja he could possibly be tried for treason among the Shadow Hunter clan.

He didn't even bother to consider the possibility that Alexa might be just as strong as the other Yautja claimed because Cage was too caught up in his own close-minded approach that humans as a species were vile and worth nothing more than hunting game for Yautja. With all that set in mind, Cage knew that it was his best bet to wait until the other Yautja had left the bathing chamber, leaving only him and Alexa inside. Given how these other Yautja had been bathing for a quite some time and Alexa only recently came in; there was a chance that his window would arrive soon. He figured that Alexa hadn't even noticed him in there, so all he had to do now was keep a low profile and wait.

_I'll show you who belongs in this clan's bloodline, you filthy ooman._  Cage morbidly thought to himself. He didn't care if this was a violation of the sacred Yautja Honor Code because didn't even consider Alexa to be a Yautja warrior despite her bearing the Mark of Honor on her cheek, proving that she was indeed blooded. To him, it would have been no different if the Yautja Mark of Honor was given to an animal.

Words could not describe how much Cage wanted to slaughter her; but he also feared that Scar might discover this once he had received the word that he was fully healed and out of the ship's infirmary as he at moment was not aware of this. Cage was much older than Scar and therefore had been blooded for a much longer period of time, so he thought of Scar's choice to brand a human female with the Yautja Mark of Honor to be grave mistake abusing the righteousness and purity of the sacred Honor Code. He simply thought Scar was nothing but a foolish Youngblood.

After a few minutes had passed, the other Yautja inside the bathing chamber decided that they had enough of their own time cleansing themselves, so they climbed out of the bath and left. Now only Alexa and Cage remained in the ship's bathing chamber with Alexa still remaining from top to bottom unaware about the bitter and blemished Yautja hunter glaring right at her. His mind was fueled by anger and his eyes were full of a desire to spill Alexa's blood in the name of the Yautja Goddess Paya herself. Cage clicked his mandibles as he slowly began to tread through the bath's water towards Alexa.

Though he had removed his wrist blades along with all his other clothing before entering the tub, he still had them all placed in a pile near the water's edge. He reached a hand over to the pile of his Yautja attire and pulled out a shiny dagger. This was a dagger that he always kept with him, engraved with words of the Yautja language reading out "payas leitjin-de Hma'mi'de" which loosely meant "remember the Gods' practice" when translated into English. To him, the practice of the Gods was to uphold honor in the name of justice; despite him not being a Yautja Enforcer.

He still thought that Scar had made the imprudent choice to give this human female the Yautja Mark of Honor since he considered their kind to be a lesser species. If Elder Zechoat or any other of his fellow Yautja brethren couldn't see past the scar on Alexa's face; then Cage was determined to kill her.

" **Come to me, my prey.** " He spoke to Alexa in his own tongue as he couldn't speak her language because he thought learning to convey it would be nothing but a waste of time.

Alexa opened up her eyes upon hearing the sounds of a Yautja's mandibles clicking; which she knew at this point was how their kind normally talked. She looked over and froze when she saw a Yautja face that looked all too familiar but in no good way at all. This face had darker coloured skin than the other Yautja she remembered, a missing mandible and one of his eyes was entirely white with a nasty lash across its face. She knew exactly who this Yautja was, Cage.

When he pulled out his dagger from underneath the water and flashed her a morbid look in his eyes, Alexa quickly backed herself out of the bath only for her to be pressed up against the wall with Cage holding a dagger against her throat.

" **I know you can't understand what I say; ooman, but I'll tell you regardless. You do not belong here as a member of the Shadow Hunter Yautja clan and you do not deserve to bear the Yautja Mark of Honor on your skin, tarei hsan.** " He spoke to her in a very threatening tone, calling her unworthy and not fit to live among the Shadow Hunter Yautja clan.

Alexa could feel her skin starting to crawl and chills going down her spine with every syllable of his words despite all of it remaining entirely incomprehensible to her. Cage was simply that terrifying, especially since he looked like a misshapen horror compared to the likes of the other Yautja in this clan who admittingly weren't exactly the best looking aliens Alexa could possibly have imagined of. He kept on clamping the dagger against Alexa's neck, forcing more dread onto her. "

Get the fuck off me!" Alexa blurted out in anger. Cage clicked his mandibles in response, which in Yautja body language meant laughter.

" **You have some nerve for a lou-dte kale of your kind.** " He said, thinking her to be less than him not just because she was a human but also because she was a female. Alexa still didn't know what he was even saying to her, but she figured that whatever it was must have been an insult directed towards her.

"I don't care what shit is going on inside your head, but you'll never get away with killing me." Alexa said in response.

She knew that he could understand her, but she couldn't understand him; so that clouded what the true meaning to what he said to her was. However, Alexa knew clear and well that Cage wanted to kill her and spill her blood. She was not willing to let a Xenomorph Queen do that to her back on Antarctica, and she certainly wasn't going to let Cage commit a grave crime against the sacred Honor Code.

Alexa decided to strike Cage with a blow against his face with her fist, hoping to get the Yautja to reconsider his thoughts about trying to slaughter her. Unfortunately, that's not how it turned out. Punching Cage in the face only seemed to get him angrier at Alexa and he in turn punched her harder in the gut with a force far stronger than the one she just gave him, causing her to fall the floor groaning in pain. She landed on the ground with a loud thud.

" **This is exactly why we should never let low-life creatures like you oomans to be branded with the Yautja Mark of Honor!** " Cage screamed at her in his native language, flaring out his mandibles out of pure malice with the dagger still within his grasp. He then clamped down his foot onto her back, pressing down with extreme pressure. Alexa could only scream in pain as Cage had her pinned down on the ground, asserting his dominance over her. It seemed like this was how Alexa was going to meet her bitter end, being gutted alive by a resentful Yautja with an extreme hatred for her species.

Somehow this felt even worse than dying from hypothermia out in the cold Antarctic wind.

Scar was traversing the corridors of the mothership, looking for Alexa. He checked just about every part of the ship where he'd assume Alexa had taken herself to, except for the bathing chamber that is. It was only a matter of time before he would search this room in addition to all the other areas of the Shadow Hunter clan's mothership, so he headed there anyway.

When Scar arrived at the door of the ship's bathing chamber however, he heard what he could only assume was Alexa screaming out in pain. His eyes widened out of shock, fearing that Alexa might have accidentally injured herself using the Yautja equipment from the gauntlets. She had a hard time figuring out how to work those gauntlets when she first met up with Scar aboard the mothership; so Scar had a good reason to suspect this was the case. He quickly ran inside, only to be met with a horrifying sight.

He saw Cage declaring his dominance over Alexa as he continued to step on her back with a dagger in his hands and both of them were completely naked. Cage was about to run the blade of the knife across Alexa's face where the Mark of Honor stood, when he looked up and saw Scar gazing at them out of total surprise and anger simultaneously.

Scar narrowed his eyes and growled at Cage, before launching at the other Yautja with a charge tackle. He pushed Cage off of Alexa's back, relieving her of the pressure and pain he was inflicting upon her as Cage was slammed up hard against the wall of the bathing chamber loud enough to create a metallic bashing noise.

" **Get your filthy claws off of Alexa! This is your one and only warning, Cage!** " Scar screamed at Cage in his native language, his voice so full of rage he could not control himself.

He then slammed his fist against Cage's head, causing him to collapse onto the floor while groaning in agony, leaving behind a little bit of his lime-green blood on the chamber's wall. Scar then looked over at Alexa, lying on the ground not too far from Cage and she as well looked like she was in a great deal of pain. His eyes went from being filled to the brim with ire to worry in such a short amount of time, as this was something that troubled him deeply.

Seeing Alexa in such pain gave Scar a feeling of uneasiness and he was determined to step in and aid her because of the words she said earlier. She may not have been a Yautja, but she still cared about them now that she was part of their clan. Scar grabbed a nearby towel of the rack in the chamber and made his way over to the lone wounded human female.

"Alexa…" She heard a familar raspy voice say, one that sounded like it was deeply concerned about her.

Alexa looked up and there stood Scar, a look in his eyes present that Alexa could've sworn meant he was on the verge of tears if that was even biologically possible for Yautja for all she knew. He held a towel in his hands, to which he wrapped around her when she sat up straight. It felt good for Alexa to be swathed in something so soft and warm after being thrashed by the virulent Yautja Cage. She also noticed that Scar didn't stare at her like he wanted to take her, but because he genuinely cared about her.

"Scar…Thank you." She said in response to his generous actions.

"What happen…Cage…try to…rape you?" Questioned Scar, assuming that was the case since both of them were naked when he walked into the bathing chamber.

"No. I don't think Cage was aroused by me one bit. He was trying to kill me." Replied Alexa, revealing the truth to Scar.

Alexa was in so much agony and couldn't accept the fact that one of these alien hunters tried to kill her just one day after being inducted into their clan's bloodline, so she started to tear up. She didn't care if it made her look weak in front of the bruiting Yautja before her because she just could not control it. Tears were soon flowing down her face as she wrapped her arms around Scar in a tight embrace, desperately trying to comfort herself.

Scar was surprised by her action, but he let her do so. He was surprisingly touched by the feeling of Alexa sobbing into his scared, muscular chest; mainly because this was something that no female of any species had done to him ever before. Scar returned the favor as he too also brought Alexa into a tight embrace. It was a feeling he never had before and wanted to cherish it while it would last for Paya knows how long. Alexa then lifted her head from Scar's chest and looked at him directly into his eyes.

"Do not worry…Alexa…will protect you…won't let Cage… kiande amedha…or other ooman…hurt you." Scar said to Alexa, stating that he would do his best to ensure that nothing like this would ever happen again.

Alexa had to admit it; she was indeed touched by these words he spoke. Now she knew that there was a reason why she still thought about the look he gave her; there was so much more to this alien that she could've imagined. He looked like a beast on the exterior, but inside lied someone who cared about her and would do whatever it meant necessary to keep her safe from the hands of the wicked. It brought joy to her heart, almost like she had found an angel inside Hell.

"Scar…" Alexa said in response.

Cage's head was buzzing with pain, making it a struggle for him to get back up on his own two feet. He felt dizzy and light-headed, which meant that Scar must have hit him on the head pretty damn hard. Cage clicked his mandibles as he brought one of his claws up to his face. The pain was on par with a throbbing c'nlip hangover; excruciating to the mind as it could possibly be. Some of his lime-green blood was now on his claws, indicating how hard Scar must've lashed him; enough to draw blood apparently.

He saw that Scar was on the ground with Alexa, clearly going soft for this human female in Cage's mind and this gave him the opportunity to quickly bail out of the bathing chamber. Cage knew the window was short, so he had to move swiftly. However, as he came closer to the blast door, Cage felt something sharp and pointy poking the bad of his head. It was clearly a bladed weapon, most likely the Wrist Blades from Scar's gauntlets. He turned around to be met with Alexa and Scar, both of them glaring at him angrily as Scar kept his Wrist Blades pointed directly at him. Cage knew that he didn't have the endurance to continue fighting; especially not after Scar bashed his head against the wall.

" **You're not going anywhere, traitor.** " Scar spoke to him in their native language.

"Elder Zechaot will make you pay for what you've done." Stated Alexa.

Cage then realized what he had done. Attempting to murder another Yautja was one of the worst possible crimes that a Yautja could commit against the jurisdictions of the sacred Honor Code; which Cage technically just committed since Alexa was blooded under Yautja law and now a decorated member of the Shadow Hunter clan. Cage's actions just cost him his position as a Yautja hunter, labeling him as a fiend for trying to slaughter Alexa in cold blood.

He was now a Bad Blood.


	5. Chapter 4 - Trial of the Disgraced

**Chapter 4: The Trial of the Disgraced**

The worst possible crime a Yautja could commit under the sacred Honor Code was the murder of another Yautja with dreadful intent.

While Alexa was a human by blood, she was also technically considered a blooded Yautja hunter by law and that made Cage's attempted murder of her a delinquency with the fate of his position among the Shadow Hunter clan's bloodline hanging in the balance. He refused to accept the fact that Alexa had earned that Mark of Honor from a courageous effort in the field of a hunt and instead opted to fixate on his own close-minded creed about the Yautja being superior to all other sentient species in the Milky Way Galaxy.

Cage still believed that he should've killed Alexa right then and there, but of course Scar had to knock him off of Alexa and bash his head into the wall. While his head wasn't hurting quite as much as it did earlier, he still had been bruised pretty badly from that incident. Cage was starting to develop a strong hatred towards Scar, for expressing his soft spot for a human female and the fact that he almost died on his hunt back on the Antarctic pyramid with him and Alexa. He felt that Scar was becoming less of a Yautja and that he must do something about it before it would supposedly spread to the rest of the Shadow Hunter clan.

Cage was undeniably delusional with his false impression of what the Yautja Honor Code enforced. While the Honor Code did state that its solemn purpose was to dictate the guidelines of hunts and what was considered worthy game, it never touched upon the topics such as if a member of a different species other than Yautja was to become blooded by Yautja law. That is where Cage had misjudged its purpose and thought that the Yautja Honor Code applied to Yautja and Yautja only.

At the moment, Cage had been confined to his own personal quarters with Celtic and Chopper standing guard outside. He was instructed to remain there until it was time for the trial to begin. All of his kill trophies and weapons had been confiscated since the last thing the Yautja of the Shadow Hunter clan wanted was to have an armed Bad Blood running amok aboard their mothership.

* * *

 

Meanwhile, Alexa was inside the infirmary yet again to be treated for any possible injuries that Cage might have inflicted upon her during that incident in the bathing chamber. Scar and Wolf stood inside with her as Gua'ytaan did her work as a healer and searched for wounds that Cage could've left behind on Alexa's body. Wolf was not pleased to hear what Cage had tried to do to her; especially since he instinctually remembered telling Alexa to keep her distance from Cage at all costs.

"What in Paya's name were you doing in the bathing chamber with Cage? I told you to stay away from him!" Demanded Wolf, questioning why Alexa would dare disregard his words after expressing gratitude for sparing the life of his friend Scar.

"I didn't even know he was in there, Wolf. He snuck up on me and then he tried to kill me. If it hadn't been for Scar, I'm certain that I would be dead by now." Replied Alexa, stating that she had no intention of neglecting Wolf's warning to her about Cage's hatred towards human beings.

"Cage may have tried to kill you, Alexa; but he only left you with minimal injuries." Stated Gua'ytaan, informing Alexa about her current medical state.

"You do have a bruise on your back, but it should clear up in a day or so." Alexa was relieved to know that Cage did not cause any permanent damage to her body, but she couldn't get over who he tried to slice her face with a dagger right where the Mark of Honor stood on her cheek. Perhaps he was trying to cover up the Mark of Honor with another scar in an attempt to hide the fact that Alexa was blooded by Yautja law.

"Well that's good to hear." Said Alexa in response to Gua'ytaan's diagnosis.

"Be…careful…Alexa." Scar joined in, assuring her that she needed to be much more cautious around other Yautja.

For all they knew, Cage surely couldn't have been the only Yautja in the Milky Way Galaxy who had such a strong hatred against humans. There had to be others out there just like Cage. Alexa knew that Scar was right; she shouldn't have been so reckless earlier when she had been warned about Cage but remained naïve since the other Yautja aboard the clan's mothership seemed to treat her as if she was one of their own.

"I will, Scar. Cage will surely be punished for his actions against me." Replied Alexa.

She predicted that Cage would be put on trial for betraying his clan's bloodline despite her not knowing certain aspects of Yautja culture that were vital in this sense of mind.

"Oh he will be punished, Alexa. Murder of another Yautja is the worst crime one could possibly commit against the sacred Honor Code and even attempted murder is a crime that we do not tolerate." Wolf responded, informing her that Cage would indeed receive his retribution for attempting to murder her.

This brought a feeling of delight to Alexa, but she could only wonder about what would happen if he was found guilty. "What exactly will be Cage's form of Punishment, brother?" Questioned Gua'ytaan out of curiosity.

"Well, since he attempted to murder Alexa but failed to do so thanks to Scar; I assume that his sentence will probably be exile and banishment from the Shadow Hunter clan." Stated Wolf, giving out his predictions to what would happen to Cage once the trial would be over.

"As long as I know that Cage won't try to kill me again, I'm fine with it." Replied Alexa, revealing that she was content with the possibility of Cage being sentenced into exile.

While Alexa, Wolf and Gua'ytaan all thought that was a suitable sentence for Cage given his heedless crime; Scar however did not think so. He clicked his mandibles before speaking up once again.

"Exile…not fitting…Cage…deserves…to die." Stated Scar, voicing his own opinions on Cage's trial. This caught Wolf by surprise, as he did not expect Scar to feel this way about Cage since he remembered that Scar used to train with Cage when he was younger.

"What, why? Scar, why do you think Cage deserves to die?" Questioned Wolf, wondering why his dear friend thought this way.

"Cage…tried…to hurt…Alexa…He broke…sacred…Honor Code." Replied Scar. He simply did not have any respect for those Yautja who had broken the Honor Code; especially Cage who would dare attack and attempt to murder Alexa while she was defenceless. This staggered Wolf; shocked to know that Scar resented Cage's actions because of Alexa. It never occurred to him that he cared about Alexa. Maybe this was because she was supposedly the first human to ever be branded with the Yautja Mark of Honor and he wanted her to be treated equally among the other members of the Shadow Hunter clan, but Wolf couldn't tell for sure since he was not able to physically read Scar's mind.

"Scar, Cage is still a member of our clan; you used to train with him when you were both younger. Don't you have any sympathy for him?" Questioned Gua'ytaan, who was equally as shocked as Wolf towards Scar's bold statement.

"No…mercy…for…Bad Bloods." Scar replied, clenching his fist in anger. He felt absolutely no pity towards Cage not only because he broke the sacred Yautja Honor Code but also because he tried to kill Alexa. Scar wondered why he was starting to have these strange feelings; resentment of his fellow brother Cage and empathy towards Alexa instead. Something just didn't feel right, he was sure of it.

"I agree with Scar. He tried to kill me after the other members of the clan treated me as an equal. I also have this feeling that his heart will remain dark and his views on my species will never change." Stated Alexa, voicing her shared judgement regarding Cage's trial. She remembered the look of pure malice in Cage's eyes when he tried to murder her back in the bathing chamber and thought she could not understand a single syllable he spoke in his native language; he was undeniably taunting her in some way or another.

This particular Yautja was guaranteed to remain cold-hearted and virulent, no matter what his brethren could possibly do to persuade his thoughts.

"If that is what you believe; I can assure that we won't be seeing Cage for a long time after the trial has been put into action." Said Wolf in response.

The blast door of the infirmary flew open and in walked another familiar face to Alexa's mind, Elder Zechaot. He was still wearing the same type of clothing that she had seen him wear the day before; so Alexa naturally assumed that this was what Yautja Elders would normally wear on a daily basis. The Yautja Elder approached Alexa with a noticeable feeling of concern present in his eyes.

"Alexa Woods, I cannot believe that one of our brethren of the Shadow Hunter clan tried to murder you. I am deeply sorry for this incident." Elder Zechaot spoke to Alexa with a sense of regret in his voice; almost as if he was trying to take the blame for Cage's attempted murder of her.

"It's honestly my fault, Elder. I should not have been so reckless back there." Stated Alexa, informing Elder Zechaot that he was not the one to blame.

"I inducted you into our clan's bloodline, Alexa. That Mark of Honor on your face proved that you are no ordinary ooman and the fact that you helped save the life of Scar here show that you were worthy enough to become a member of the Shadow Hunter clan despite not being a Yautja by blood." Explained the Yautja Elder, stating that he saw potential in Alexa all because of the Mark of Honor that Scar gave her.

This was no surprise to her considering how just about every other Yautja of this clan seemed to treat her as an equal; but he seemed to be sincere with the words he spoke in his deep, raspy voice.

"I thought I was making the right choice, but I never bothered to put Cage into consideration. That was a grave mistake that I have made and I hope I do not repeat this because you have shown us new possibilities with the Yautja Honor Code. If an ooman like you could earn it, then perhaps other species within the galaxy could too." Elder Zechaot continued, explaining that Alexa had a unique possibility to unfold that could potentially change the way that the Yautja race thought about their sacred Honor Code.

"Are you saying that…I'm the first member of a different species to earn this honor bound by the Yautja?" Questioned Alexa, surprised at this bold reveal. She had already been told she was the first of her kind to earn this Mark of Honor; but news that exposed the truth that the Yautja had never given this achievement to any other species until Scar did so with her made Alexa feel like she really was an exceptional human being.

"Yes, that is true." Replied the Yautja Elder.

"Well, I don't know what to say. All I want to know now is when the mothership will be arriving at Earth." Stated Alexa in response.

Upon hearing these words come from her mouth; Elder Zechaot remembered that Alexa had requested to return to her home planet and she wouldn't be remaining on the Shadow Hunter clan's mothership for long. He knew that he couldn't deny her request since Alexa was still technically a human being. Most Yautja Elders would've been inconsiderate towards creatures like her, but Elder Zechaot just wasn't that kind of man.

Alexa earned the Mark of Honor with her blood and therefore had the right to be granted freedom to go wherever in the Milky Way Galaxy she desired. Like most of humanity in her time, they were not ready to explore beyond their own solar system and sometimes feared about the mere concept of extra-terrestrial life alone. She wanted to return home to Earth and continue her old life; even it would never be the same thanks to the Yautja of the Shadow Hunter clan.

"We'll be arriving at the home world Yautja Prime to resupply and refuel; and then I promise that we will arrive at your home planet. It's been quite the experience having you as a member of our clan's bloodline, Alexa." Replied Elder Zechaot, revealing that she would indeed receive the chance to return back to planet Earth.

"But how long will that take?" Questioned Alexa, wondering how long of a wait it would be before she could set foot on Earth's soil once again.

"A few days." The Yautja Elder replied before he turned to go.

"Cage's trial will be beginning shortly, I shall see you there." Elder Zechoat spoke as he left the infirmary and headed off to do his business as required due to his position within the clan as a Yautja Elder as the blast door closed behind him.

Alexa then looked at Scar with a worried expression on her face. "I don't know if I can go, Scar. I'm not stepping foot near that monster again." She said to her Yautja companion, out of fear for the Yautja who tried to murder her in cold blood.

It was reasonable for her to feel this way given what Cage had done, but Scar thought otherwise. He clicked his mandibles before replying to her.

"Don't…be…afraid…will…protect you…from Cage." Scar spoke to Alexa, gently running his claw against the Mark of Honor burned into her flesh. Alexa couldn't deny that Scar was genuine and it seemed like he really wanted to protect her from any potential Yautja who might view her as a miscarriage of the sacred Yautja Honor Code.

While she may have earned that Mark of Honor with her own flesh and blood, she still had much to learn and perhaps Scar could teach her a thing or two in the future. Only time would tell and Alexa knew that she just had to take his word for it. She simply just smiled at the Yautja, stood up from the examination table upon she was sitting on and walked out of the infirmary with Scar keeping a steady pace beside her.

Alexa thought to herself;  _maybe everything will be alright. Cage isn't going to be here much longer after all…_

* * *

 

From inside his private quarters, Cage continuously paced back and forth. He was struck with confusion about the crime he had committed. It just didn't make sense to him since Alexa wasn't really a Yautja by blood and therefore she wasn't a blooded Yautja; according to what Cage's mind insisted on telling himself with his misleading use of logic. He refused to admit that Alexa was a blooded Yautja by law and also a member of the Shadow Hunter clan which ultimately led him to carry out attempted murder.

Cage also couldn't believe that Scar would dare stop him from ending the life of a "false hunter" if he dared to deem Alexa as that. It was almost as if Scar had been blinded by Alexa according to Cage's notion; which of course was far-fetched from the truth.  _I don't understand, the Honor Code is not fit for low-life creatures like oomans. I was merely trying to preserve the purity of the sacred Yautja Honor Code._  Cage thought to himself, bewildered by his own supposed wrongdoings against the Shadow Hunter clan.

Just then, the blast door to his quarters flew open and in walked the two Yautja guarding his accommodations; Celtic and Chopper. Cage looked back behind himself to see the two Yautja brothers approaching him with both being armed while he was not. They each grabbed a hold of one of Cage's arms in extremely tight grasps to ensure that he wouldn't attempt to break free and run off.

" **It's time for your trial, you traitor.** " Said Celtic in a taunting tone to this soon-to-be former member of their clan.

" **I'll thank Paya myself if I never get to see you again after this.** " Chopper added to his brother's torment towards Cage, thinking less of him now that he was a Bad Blood.

Cage said nothing in response to the scoffs his fellow brethren were throwing at him. He knew that he would not stand a chance in this trial considering how intolerant most Yautja were towards those who dared to break the sacred Honor Code; abolishing any possibility of him being forgiven. All he could do now was ponder about where he went wrong in his life to have it all lead up to this; attempting to murder a human female who bared the Mark of Honor on her flesh because he thought her species was undeserving of carrying such a symbol within Yautja culture.

Even now, Cage still declined Alexa's potential of being a warrior who was more than well worthy to bear the Yautja Mark of Honor. He was simply never going to change his mind of this specific view of his.

As Cage was dragged by Celtic and Chopper into a room reminiscent of a courtroom in human culture; only referred to as the hall of righteousness among the members of the Shadow Hunter clan, he was met with eyes of all his fellow brothers and sisters staring at him in utter disbelief that he would dare betray the clan by breaking the Honor Code. They all just stared at him as they sat back and watched Celtic and Chopper forcefully heave Cage into the center of the hall of righteousness, awaiting to know why he would dare commit such a sinful crime.

Once Cage was brought to the center of the hall of righteousness, Celtic brought out a pair of cuffs to restrain Cage and prevent him from bailing on his tribunal. He attached the cuffs to Cage, locking his claws together in a tight magnetic grasp. Cage tried to break free of the cuff's clutch, but of course his efforts of thrashing against its magnetic force were simply no use.

It was at this moment when Elder Zechaot appeared before Cage and began to speak in his native language.

" **This trial is now in session.** "

Cage looked up and saw him along with several other Yautja Elders standing before him, all of them appearing to be disgruntled at him for fairly clear reasons regarding his crimes. As he looked over to his left, he saw what looked like a human female; which of course had to be Alexa Woods but she was shrouded in darkness since she was hiding away at the edge of the hall of righteousness. He paid little to no attention to her and turned his head back towards the Yautja Elders.

" **Cage, it appears that you have broken the sacred Yautja Honor Code by attempting to murder another blooded warrior within this clan. That is none other than the female ooman herself, Alexa Woods.** " Stated Elder Zechaot, announcing to everyone from within the hall of righteousness what heinous crime Cage bothered to commit; shocking many individuals in the audience.

" **But that is not possible, Elder! Alexa is not a true Yautja by blood. She is unfit to bear the Mark of Honor.** " Cage retorted against the words of his Elder, trying to convince him along with his associates that Yautja and only Yautja alone could bear their sanctified Mark of Honor.

What he said did not win them over, but only bring forth confusion. " **What do you mean Alexa is unfit to bear the Mark of Honor? Sure, she may be an ooman and not a Yautja like the rest of us; but she has most certainly demonstrated her worth to become a member of this clan's bloodline. That is what you are failing to take into consideration, Cage.** " Replied Elder Zechaot, trying to explain to Cage that the reason why Alexa found herself inside the bloodline of the Shadow Hunter clan wasn't because of her blood, but rather her determination in the field of a hunt.

Cage however, did not listen and continued to fixate on his close-minded view on humans. " **No, Elder. What you are forgetting is that the Yautja Honor Code wasn't meant for low-life creatures such as oomans like her. Besides, she wasn't even a worthy opponent for me anyway.** " Stated Cage, unwilling to agree with what Elder Zechaot had to say. He insulted Alexa's worth of being a terrible adversary under the impression that doing so would force his other clan members to reconsider their thoughts on having a human female within their bloodline. However, that plan did not go out as well as he had hoped.

" **That is a lie! You tried to kill Alexa while she was defenceless inside the bathing chamber!** " Scar blurted out with pure anger filling his voice.

He did not appreciate what this disgraceful Yautja had to say about Alexa; further adding to his questioning about why he felt this way about this human female. All of the eyes inside the hall of righteousness were on him now, with him shrouded in darkness at the back of the room. He knew so, as he slowly began to walk forward until Alexa forcibly stopped him.

"Scar, what's going on? I can't understand a thing everyone is saying." She whispered to him in a voice quiet enough for only him to hear her speak.

"Turn on…your…translator." He replied to her, pointing towards the console on her wrist computer. Scar wasn't just pointing towards the wrist computer console itself, but rather a single button instead. She wondered why she didn't use this translator beforehand; which was most likely because she did not know about its existence Alexa, not knowing what else to do at the moment decided to just press that one single button which Scar was pointing his finger at. After pressing the said button, something odd happened.

The screen on the console began to flicker and flash while Alexa sensed a slight tremor in her skin that felt almost like a harmless little static shock. Now, something very noticeable was taking place. All of the voices that were speaking in the native language of the Yautja species were now suddenly talking in English, Alexa's mother tongue.

"What makes you believe that oomans are such futile creatures? Is this because of that incident you had on a hunt about a century ago?" Elder Zechaot questioned Cage, now translated to better suit Alexa's ears. His voice under her translator sounded exactly like his normal voice when speaking to Alexa in her native English language.

"Yes, one of these oomans almost cost me my life and honor all those years ago." Replied Cage.

"You have no honor now, not after what you tried to do with Alexa!" Scar snapped at the disgraced Yautja; disavowing the fact that Cage still had what little honor remained in him after he attempted to murder Alexa in cold blood.

"Silence, both of you!" Shouted Elder Zechaot, calling for order within the hall of righteousness.

"We have called this tribunal to see if Cage truly is a Bad Blood, not to spark insubordination amongst ourselves. If we can continue without any further interruption, that would be most appreciated." The Yautja Elder spoke, trying to convince Scar and Cage to cease their hostility for one another while inside the hall of righteousness.

"I shall now call forth Alexa Woods, victim of Cage's said crime to reveal the truth about his transgressions against another member of this clan." Stated Elder Zechaot, calling for Alexa to come forward and disclose the rumors about Cage betraying the Shadow Hunter bloodline and directly violating the sacred Yautja Honor Code.

Alexa knew what must be done, so she walked forward as she heard Elder Zechaot call her to the front of the hall of righteousness. As she did so, Alexa made a glance of abhorrence towards Cage as she walked past him. After what he tried to do to her back there in the bathing chamber, there was simply no way that Alexa would ever forgive him. She figured that even after he received his sentence, he still wouldn't reconsider his thoughts towards her species and remain enclosed within that unpersuadable mind of his. Cage was just that stubborn for a Yautja, one whose future was now hanging in the balance of what Alexa had to say to the entire Shadow Hunter clan watching her.

She gazed at the crowd before her. It reminded her of that evening in the dining hall the other night; only this crowd was much larger. Alexa could tell that Yautja of all ages were now staring at her, awaiting to hear whether or not it was true that Cage did in fact try to murder her. A shiver forced its way down Alexa's spine as she tried to speak, but nothing came out. She looked over and saw Cage glaring at her while still retrained by the cuffs that locked him in place; knowing that she must come clean and tell the shadow Hunter clan about the horror that was Cage's attempted slaughter of her.

Alexa took in a deep breath before finally speaking the looming Yautja crowd.

"These rumors about Cage trying to kill me…they are true. I was in the bathing chamber when he snuck up on me and attempted to murder me right then and there. Had it not been for Scar to step in at that very moment, I'm certain that Cage would've killed me." Stated Alexa, stirring up murmurs of shock from within the spectating Yautja.

The words had been spoken and therefore revealed that Cage was indeed a traitor of not only the Shadow Hunter clan but also the sacred Yautja Honor Code. His fate had been sealed, with no chance of him ever getting to redeem himself for the monstrous crime he committed.

"So, it is indeed true. You tried to murder Alexa while inside the bathing chamber. What kind of dishonorable Yautja do you think you are, Cage?" Questioned Elder Zechaot, grilling the shameful Yautja on his vindictive actions.

"I am not one who is without honor." Cage replied bleakly, without a shred of indignity or guilt in his voice.

"Says he who tried to kill Alexa while she had no means of defending herself. Hypocrite." Stated Scar, underlining the hypocrisy in the words that Cage spoke to defend his own will. This of course angered Cage, as he still saw Scar as one who was blinded by whatever kind of trickery this human female had done to him.

"I am no hypocrite you fool! What you are forgetting is that Alexa is a putrid little ooman and not a pureblood Yautja. Therefore, I did not commit the crime of attempting to murder another Yautja. I was maintaining the purity of those who are blooded with the Mark of Honor. You're all too blind to see it!" Cage hollered at the Elders and the observing crowd behind him in an attempt to convince them to reconsider their views on Alexa really being worthy of living among the Yautja of the Shadow Hunter clan.

Of course, it did not work out at all.

"No, Cage. It is you who has been blinded. You are forgetting that Scar did not just give her the Mark of Honor for no reason. She earned it for fighting courageously against the kiande amedha, to which she survived." Replied Elder Zechaot, informing him that his alibi was wrong.

"What the Elder says is true, Cage." Stated Scar. "This is absurd! How could an ooman survive against kiande amedha?" Cage continued to question as he remained in denial.

"We're stronger than we appear, don't underestimate us." Said Alexa in a threatening tone to Cage in an effort to sway him into believing that perhaps maybe human beings were a force to be reckoned with.

"So that is it then. Cage, we find you guilty of attempted murder of another Yautja and sentence you to exile from the Shadow Hunter clan." Elder Zechaot announced to the crowd before him, anticipating on what Cage's sentence would be for this shocking crime.

Many were surprised to know that Elder Zechaot chose to let the disgraceful Yautja live, but others knew that was a very likely sentence this Bad Blood would receive because he didn't actually murder Alexa; yet that was his exact intention.

"You can't do this to me! I'm trying to preserve the purity of the Yautja race, I'm not guilty!" Cage bellowed to the Elders before him, refusing to admit that he was indeed held accountable for this crime.

"You're misinterpreting the law, Cage. Take this Bad Blood away and make sure that we never see him again!" Ordered Elder Zechaot, commanding Celtic and Chopper to take Cage out of the hall of righteousness. The two Yautja brothers did just as they were instructed by their elder as they grabbed a hold of Cage and forcibly dragged him out of the hall of righteousness with all eyes ogling him with pure revulsion. Cage was now officially declared a Bad Blood and condemned into exile from the clan; therefore stripping him entirely of what little respect the Shadow Hunter clan had left towards him.

As Celtic and Chopper pulled him away, he looked over at Alexa and scowled at her with wholesome hatred filling his eyes; even in the whited one lined up with the massive blemish across his face. He looked like he wanted to say something to Alexa in a means of taunting her, but he just said nothing and faded from her field of vision when the blast door closed behind him. As soon as Cage left the room with the two Yautja brothers escorting him out to the escape pod bay, Elder Zechaot spoke up once again.

"This trial is now adjourned. You may all be dismissed." Said Elder Zechaot, calling and end to the tribunal of Cage.

Alexa had to admit; the trial went over quite quickly and felt much for efficient and right-to-the-point than the justice system from where she resided on planet Earth, not to mention it gave her a hopeful feeling that she might never see Cage's hideous, disfigured face that looked repugnant even by Yautja standards as far as Alexa could tell in her short time aboard the clan's mothership.

She looked back at Scar, who didn't seem right. He gave Alexa the impression that he was angry about something as he appeared to be clenching his fists out of rage. "Is something wrong, Scar?" Asked Alexa, curious about Scar's current state of mind. "Cage gets to live, even after what he did to you? I cannot accept this!" Replied Scar, displeased with the verdict given by Elder Zechaot.

"You wanted him to die, Scar? Don't you think that's going a little bit over the edge?" Questioned Alexa, inquisitive to why he truly wished that Elder Zechaot had sentenced Cage to death instead of exile. It was a question that she simply could not ignore, especially after seeing Scar on the brink of lashing out in anger.

"He deserved to die because he tried to kill you, Alexa! How could you feel any remorse for such a despicable Yautja?" Questioned Scar, eager to know exactly was going on inside of Alexa's head.

"On Earth, we don't sentence someone to death for attempted murder. We send people who commit crimes like that to prison." Stated Alexa, bringing up an aspect of human culture that Scar had never considered before in his life; which made him reconsider his thoughts on whether or not he really wanted to see Cage put to death for his crimes.

Maybe exile was the best for him since he didn't actually murder Alexa, which also made him grateful to know that she was still alive.

"I…I guess you're right, Alexa. It's not like we will ever see him again after today, thank Paya." Replied Scar, now having second thoughts regarding the results of Cage's trial.

"But I cannot allow anything like this to ever happen again. You must learn to defend yourself, Alexa, and I will be willing to teach you." Stated Scar, offering to help Alexa improve her self-defence skills.

After the images of Cage trying to murder her back in the bathing chamber ran through her mind, Alexa decided that she did in fact need to polish up her self-defence if she was going to keep her status as a member of the Shadow Hunter Yautja clan, even if she made the choice to return to her home planet of Earth. She knew that she could trust Scar and his closest of associates from within the clan as well, so Alexa had nothing to worry about in terms of whether or not someone else like Cage making an effort to murder her.

For those reasons, Alexa chose to accept Scar's offer to teach her some basic fighting moves that would potentially aid her in any hostile confrontation with anyone; regardless if they were human, Yautja or some other alien species from the Milky Way which humanity had yet to discover.

"I'd be honored, Scar. When shall we begin this training session of yours?" Asked Alexa, eager to know when it would take place.

"Tomorrow." Scar replied bleakly, placing his claw on her shoulder before turning away and heading off with the other Yautja leaving the hall of righteousness. As Alexa watched Scar walk away from her, she called out to him.

"Scar." He stopped and turned around at the sound of her voice.

"Thanks for the translator; it really helps me understand you better." Said Alexa, to which Scar chuckled in response.

"No problem, Alexa. That is what translators are for after all." Stated Scar in a friendly tone before leaving the hall of righteousness for real that time.


	6. Chapter 5 - True Yautja Blood

**Chapter 5: True Yautja Blood**

With Cage now banished from the Shadow Hunter clan, Alexa felt more at ease with her surroundings aboard the clan's mothership. No one else besides from Cage dared to attempt to murder her during Alexa's short time among these Yautja hunters; which in turn made Alexa feel much safer here. Not to mention that Scar was also going to lecture her how to defend herself if someone else just like Cage tried to kill her; which seemed like it would work just fine now that Alexa knew she had a translator on her to better understand whatever it was that Scar spoke to her in his species' native language. Communication between the two of them was no longer an issue due to Scar's limited ability to speak Alexa's native language properly without the use of a translator.

Only time would tell the next morning when the two would finally begin their training together for the first time, but for or now, the evening meal of that night was being served in the dining hall. Alexa remembered what it was like watching all those Yautja eating for the first time; it reminded her of memories when she visited a zoo during her childhood and saw predatory animals tearing away at raw bloody meat. She thought it was strange that these Yautja looked like hulking beasts, acted so civilized in their own bizarre alien customs and traditions but also ate like a pack of wild animals.

It just stroke a chord to Alexa about how humans and Yautja were so run-of-the-mill when compared to each other, yet it never made her feel like some kind of outcast or anomaly from within the Shadow Hunter clan's bloodline. The way that the Yautja of this clan; especially when it came to Elder Zechaot, Gua'ytaan and particularly Scar, they made her feel like she was indeed welcome to be a member of this Yautja clan even if she made the choice to leave the mothership and return to her species home world of Earth. Nonetheless, she knew what to expect this time while eating another meal with the Shadow Hunter clan members. This time, she sat next to Scar at the table since Alexa now felt more accustomed to being around Scar after everything he had done for her.

Dinner that night was mostly the same as it was the night before; some kind of alien meat served with fruit as well. Unlike the rest of the Yautja who preferred to feast upon their meat while it was still bloody and raw, Alexa had her meat cooked thoroughly since humans had evolved to consume it in that manner. Scar noticed this and wondered what it would taste like, one of many questions he found himself asking himself in regards to Alexa. He pondered the possibilities if he really did perchance feel attracted to this certain human female and he wasn't entirely sure if it was true or just some kind of illusion.

Whatever the case, he knew it must be done.

* * *

 

Alexa spent the night resting in what were formerly Cage's private quarters aboard the mothership; which felt quite empty now that Cage was exiled from the clan and all of his worldly possessions such as kill trophies and weapons had been confiscated. All that remained in the room now was just the bed, some blankets and a couple of pillows too. She didn't mind it, especially since this empty room reminded Alexa about how she was most likely never going to see that bitter and blemished Yautja hunter ever again; which helped her sleep well that night. Alexa awoke the following morning, aware that today she would begin her training with Scar, which she was looking forward to not only because Alexa was eager to improve her self-defence skills but also because she felt surprisingly comfortable around this certain Yautja hunter.

After taking a short soak in the bathing chamber; thankfully without anyone else trying to murder her there again and grabbing some fruit for a quick breakfast, Alexa headed off to the training arena of the mothership. She had no idea what to expect this particular part of the ship to look like but figured that since this was where the Yautja of the Shadow Hunter clan would exercise and practice their combat skills with one another; it must have bared some sort of resemblance to a dojo.

Traversing her way through the corridors of the mothership was a bit challenging for Alexa since she still had yet to figure out where everything was and the way the ship's corridors were designed made the interior feel like a maze. It was always much easier when she just had to follow one of the other clan members since they were already accustomed to the central layout of the clan's mothership, thus eliminating the stress of trying to navigate across by herself.

Of course, that was not the case at the moment and she was having trouble finding where exactly the training arena was. After making several wrong turns on her way looking for said training arena, she ran into a very familiar face in the hallway, which of course was none other than Scar.

"Are you lost, Alexa?" The Yautja questioned her, as he too was surprised to have encountered her in the hallway instead of the training arena like they had previously agreed to.

"Yeah, I can't seem to find the training arena anywhere." Replied Alexa, indicating that she indeed have some difficulty finding her way around the mothership without the other Yautja of the Shadow Hunter clan pointing out where everything was; which was how she learned of where the dining hall and bathing chamber were located. Scar didn't seem to mind however, as he figured that she might require some assistance with the matter at hand.

"Don't worry, Alexa. Just follow me and I shall guide you to the training arena." Said Scar with a slight chuckle in his voice. Knowing that she could trust him and there was no other way, Alexa opted to follow this Yautja hunter to wherever aboard the mothership he was leading her too.

As the two of them approached the entrance to the ship's training arena, the blast door flew open to reveal a sight of various Yautja training with one another. Some of them appeared to be around the same age as Scar; whatever his current age was, but there were also what Alexa could only assume were Yautja children training with one another as well. They looked exactly what she presumed Yautja children to look like; much smaller and less muscular than the adults were.

Alexa and Scar passed by them as a few glances were made by the Yautja juveniles; intrigued by the alien living among their bloodline. Some of these youngsters were obviously far too young to begin their hunts, so it was likely that Alexa might have been the very first extra-terrestrial life form they would've seen in their lives. Nevertheless, they continued to train with one another in essentially the same way that Scar was about to do with Alexa; to amp up her self-defence skills. Alexa and Scar found a clear space away from the other Yautja present inside the training arena where they could practice own their own without any possible interruptions from all the others.

Now the time had come, for Scar to finally pass the knowledge and wisdom he held onto to another worthy hunter. Alexa could only wonder on how this whole training session with Scar would unfold, and the very first command he instructed her with was certainly unforeseen to say the least.

"Now, Alexa. I want you to punch me." Stated Scar, loud and clear for Alexa to hear.

"Y-you want me to what?" Questioned Alexa, stuttering whilst under the impression that she may have misheard what Scar told her to do.

"Punch me, Alexa." Scar said once more. Alexa knew that she had to comply, so she rose up her fists in a fighting stance and looked Scar right in his amber reptilian eyes. A few seconds passed, but she had yet to strike Scar as he had commanded.

"Do not hesitate, Alexa. You will not harm me if that is what's holding you back." Scar spoke, assuring Alexa that this was what she needed to do if she was to learn any new self-defence skills from this Yautja hunter.

Alexa then threw a punch at Scar just she was ordered to do so; only for Scar to grab a hold of her fist in a tight grasp and then force her back to the ground with a loud thud. Alexa grunted from the slight pain, while also noticing just how quick Scar's reflexes appeared to be; much faster than hers apparently. Scar then looked at her on the floor of the training arena and then spoke to her once again.

"Your enemy is unpredictable, Alexa. You must outsmart him before you can strike him down." These words that Scar spoke to her made Alexa realize that the ability to outmaneuver her opponent in a duel would give her the advantage, especially if she was smaller and not as physically strong as whomever or whatever was challenging her. It was the only possible way for her.

Forcing herself back up off the floor, she could hear some other Yautja cackling at her as she looked over.

"I didn't figure that puny little ooman could take on Scar." One of them said with a sneer while the others just kept on chuckling at the sight of Scar knocking her to the ground.

Alexa ignored what those Yautja said about her inability to face off against Scar in a duel; determined to surprise both them and Scar simultaneously. She faced Scar once again and broke out her fighting pose, raising her fists ready to strike him for a second time.

"Remember what I said, Alexa. Outsmart your enemy." Instructed Scar. Alexa narrowed her eyes and darted at Scar yet again, this time tricking Scar into believing that she was going to attempt to punch him just like she did in her previous attempt.

Instead, she charged at Scar and elbowed him right in his gut before preforming a roundhouse kick that ultimately knocked him to the ground as he had done to her earlier. Scar grunted in pain as he was struck in the face with Alexa's foot, yet no blood at all was drawn. Alexa was surprised but also proud of what she managed to accomplish, while the other Yautja who were spectating the duel between the human female of the Shadow Hunter clan stared in awe at what they had just witnessed. Never once had any of them seen a human strike down a Yautja before, let alone believed that it was even possible; yet Alexa proved them wrong.

Scar stood back up from the ground, looking rather pleased with what Alexa managed to pull off against him.

"Very impressive, Alexa. You seem to learn rather fast and that was great technique there." Stated Scar.

"Well I'd hate to brag, but I did take martial arts before back on Earth before the Antarctic expedition." Replied Alexa enthusiastically.

"That just means I have less to teach you than I had initially thought." Scar said with hope that he could make Alexa into a warrior who stood on par with any other Yautja hunter given her current state of learning was impressively fast yet believable too.

He knew that he wasn't the greatest Yautja to ever live in the history of their species' existence within the Milky Way, but Scar was undeniably ambitious in taking Alexa to her highest advantage in terms of her self-defence techniques.

"Well, then what shall we do next?" Questioned Alexa, curious about what exactly the two of them should practice and possibly improve on after this brief session of hand-to-hand combat.

Scar then looked over and saw a dagger laying on the ground not too far from where they stood, giving him the perfect idea for which area in self-defence the two of them should cover next: disarming an enemy. It only made sense since Scar did witness Cage attempt to murder Alexa with a dagger in his hands; so teaching her how to do so against another Yautja was definitely something they needed to cover regarding self-defence.

Scar walked over to the dagger on the ground and picked it up. It was just like any ordinary dagger that a Yautja would normally have on him during a hunt; made of pure d'lex unlike the ceremonial daggers which were crafted from the bladed tail of a Xenomorph instead. He then spoke to Alexa, explaining what he was going to teach her next.

"We Yautja believe in fair fights, Alexa. If your opponent has an advantage such as; being armed with a weapon but you are not, you must disarm him to balance out the fight if you cannot find another useful weapon at your disposal."

Alexa had figured that out that Yautja did in fact believe in fair fights since they lived almost religiously abiding by a sacred Honor Code, so naturally it made sense that this would be something that Scar would be lecturing her on.

"So you want me to knock that dagger out of your hand?" Asked Alexa, questioning if that was what Scar was implying she'd do in this particular exercise.

"Yes." Replied Scar, raising the dagger in a way that one normally would carry such a weapon if he had the morbid intention of killing her; which of course Scar did not possess inside his mind.

Alexa broke out her fighting stance once again and focused her eyes on the blade within Scar's grasp. She then thought about how exactly she planned on knocking the dagger clean out of Scar's hand, doing so very quickly as not to drone on such a small choice for far too long. Alexa then decided that if were to strike Scar's wrist, he might drop said dagger and therefore would be successfully disarmed. She performed another kick towards Scar with rapid speed, this time directed at his wrist. Scar's reflexes were not fast enough to react against Alexa's attack against him, causing the Yautja hunter to lose his grip on the dagger just as Alexa had predicted. The dagger fell to the ground with the slight clatter of metal on metal filling the air around them. Scar once again seemed rapt in how Alexa was learning from him so quickly.

"You're doing well, Alexa. But what I've taught you so far has been very basic skills, so we must move onto something a bit more challenging." Stated Scar, explaining that while he was indeed impressed with her current state of acquiring self-defence techniques and advice from him; Alexa still had much to learn from this particular Yautja hunter. Alexa knew that he was right, but wondered what exactly Scar had in mind for something more challenging than outsmarting her opponent or disarming him.

"Something more challenging?" She questioned Scar, eager for an answer.

What Scar did next caught Alexa by surprise. He walked over to a rack on the wall with plenty of fancy looking Yautja weapons out on display, which were obviously meant to be used for training purposes here in the arena. Scar grabbed two small metallic looking rods; a type of Yautja weapon she had not seen the hunters use during their hunts for some reason. Perhaps it was because this particular Yautja weapon was designed with the intention for being used whenever Yautja would be training with one another. Whatever the case, Alexa could guarantee that Scar would tell her whatever this weapon was when he returned to her since it appeared to be so alien to her.

"This, Alexa, is a combistick. This weapon can be used for either close-quarters hand-to-hand combat or be thrown like a spear." Explained Scar, tossing one of the combisticks over to her.

Alexa caught the combistick and inspected the weapon, admiring it for a brief second. She then noticed what appeared to be a button on the mysterious Yautja weapon and instinctively pressed it. This caused the combistick to quickly unsheathe itself with a loud and sudden yet short noise that sounded like a jolting piece of metal crashing against solid ground.

"Interesting weapon. I take it we're doing hand-to-hand combat with this combistick; not the whole spear thing, right?" Questioned Alexa, wanting clarification on which method of using this Yautja weapon in combat the two of them were going to cover.

"Oh Paya, no. Not in the training arena. Someone might accidentally get impaled if your aim is off. We only use that combistick method while on hunts." Scar elucidated on the proper ethics to use a combistick while training.

Alexa payed attention to what Scar had to say, eager to know how to use such an odd yet somewhat straightforward alien weapon in yet another training duel between her and this Yautja hunter. She wasn't determined to defeat Scar but rather instead prove to him that she truly possessed the warrior spirit he believed she had in her blood since she was most likely never going to see him or any of these strange alien hunters again in her life once the mothership would finally return to Earth upon her request. To end this odd journey among the Yautja of the Shadow Hunter clan on a high note with her proving her worth was exactly what Alexa knew she had to do with what little time she had left aboard the mothership.

Now that it became clear that a duel was going to take place between Alexa and Scar, the other Yautja present in the training arena focused their eyes on these two individuals about to face off in a spar. While they knew that this was simply a test of Alexa's endurance against Scar, the Yautja all held onto their anticipation on who they thought was going to claim the crown of victory. It was simply the mere thought of a human facing off against a Yautja in a fight that caught their attention.

Alexa and Scar both broke out their fighting stances as the other Yautja crowded around them, all so eager and full of keenness.

The first strike was made by Alexa, slashing her combistick at Scar only for him to block her attack. He retaliated by lashing out against her, which Alexa also deflected in the same way Scar did. The combat between the human female and the Yautja hunter quickly grew faster at a rapid pace between the 2 combatants; drawing up roars of excitement and energy from the Yautja directly observing the whole event. It was also quite reminiscent that of bo staff fighting on Earth with the clashing sounds of metal on metal filling the air every single second the duel continued to drag on.

In Alexa's mind she could not deny the similarities she was seeing, but she was of course more focused on fighting against her opponent rather that what exactly it reminded her of. Unfortunately, Alexa made a faulty move that involved wrongfully predicting Scar's next move which caused her to expose herself to an open strike from her opponent. Scar struck Alexa in her side with his combistick, thus knocking her back but not taking her down. She reached a hand over to the side of her body and felt the mark where Scar had hit her with the combistick. No blood was drawn, but there was a small sensation of pain present. Feeling the slight bit of the twinge, Alexa knew that she had become reckless and that cost her the victory in this duel between her and Scar.

"Never let your guard down, Alexa. You must always keep your eyes on your opponent and never back down until you have achieved victory." Said Scar, instructing her to reinforce and maintain her posture as well as focus on reaching the upper hand in battle.

"Then let's keep going." Said Alexa with a sense of excitement in her speech, raising up her fighting stance with the combistick once again.

This brought elation to the Yautja who were spectating the duel between Alexa and Scar, as they knew that the fight was not over quite yet.

Alexa launched another strike against Scar, keeping the duel between the two of them steadily continuing for all the viewers inside the training arena to see. Blocking the attack with his quick reflexes, Scar once again deflected it and evened the score faster than Alexa could've predicted so. Or at least, that is what he thought the Yautja hunter thought. Apparently she figured out the pattern of Scar's attacks and managed to slip in between two of his strikes against her, allowing Alexa to easily foray the Yautja hunter by slashing at his lower legs with the combistick.

This caused Scar to lose his balance and collapse on the ground, faintly grunting at the slight pain. He had of course experienced far worse, but this was completely unexpected from the human female. Even the other Yautja watching the duel unfold were shocked that Alexa was able to best Scar in a training spar, under the impression that perhaps Alexa really did deserve the bear the Mark of Honor on her flesh and live among the likes of these purebloods. Scar looked up to be met with Alexa towering over him, pointing the tip of her combistick directly at his face. She had a smirk on her face that could only mean she was proud of herself.

"How's that for a human?" Asked Alexa, jokingly commenting on how the Yautja often referred human beings as a weak species that was supposedly only good for hunting game; which she had proved them wrong.

"Quite impressive, Alexa. You have the courage and fighting spirit of a true Yautja. I'm certain you will make a fine hunter." Replied Scar as he stood up from the floor, admittingly somewhat surprised at how well Alexa was able to handle fighting against him in a spar.

He remembered how well she fared against the Xenomorph infestation inside the Antarctic pyramid, so maybe he shouldn't have been that astounded. Obviously Alexa was no ordinary human in Scar's mind, but something indubitably shocked him without a doubt.

"Yeah, but I'm not quite sure how I'd balance out the Yautja hunting lifestyle with my normal human life back on Earth. Seems a bit challenging if you ask me." Alexa retorted, stating that maybe she wouldn't continue living like the Yautja aboard the Shadow Hunter clan's mothership; with the skirmish back on the Antarctic pyramid remaining as her one and only hunt where she somehow managed to kill a Xenomorph Queen.

Admittingly, Scar knew that this was possible since she wasn't exactly a pureblood Yautja; but it disappointed him a bit.

"I see." Said Scar with a slightly upset tone in the sound of his voice.

As the Yautja who spectated the duel between Scar and Alexa turned to leave, one of the much younger ones approached Alexa with oddity at the sight of what to him was an alien. Alexa looked over and saw a Yautja much smaller than her or any of the other Yautja whom she had already met, gazing at her with such peculiarity.

"Are you an alien?" The little Yautja spoke to her. He had a voice that sounded a lot less raspy than the adult Yautja males since this one in particular was still a child.

"Why, yes. I'm an alien to you, and you're an alien to me. My species are known as humans." Replied Alexa, answering the youngster's question.

"How did you end up on this Yautja mothership?" He continued to ask her; obviously curious about why a human was living among the bloodline of the Shadow Hunter Yautja clan.

"I was brought aboard the ship because I bear the Mark of Honor. It makes me one of you, but I won't be here for long." Alexa continued to explain to the Yautja child.

As Scar was placing the combisticks back where they initially belonged within the training arena, he stopped and looked back to see Alexa conversing with a Yautja pup. This sight was surprising to say the least; one of many to come out of this blooded human female, but something else felt captivating about it. He started to wonder if it was possible for humans and Yautja to reproduce, and if Alexa would be a worthy mate for him.

_Wait, what in Paya's name am I thinking? She's an ooman, I'm a Yautja!_  Scar thought to himself, trying to quickly get that crazy idea out of his mind as quickly as he could. He thought it was impossible for him to be xenophillic because he remembered casually mating with a couple of female Yautja a while before he embarked on that Antarctic hunt where he met Alexa, but what if he was wrong? What if he really did feel that way for Alexa Woods?

Scar could not tell, it was almost as if he had two voices inside his head; both of them holding opposite views with one saying he should confess it to Alexa while the other said he should just forget about it since she wasn't even the same species as him. He wasn't sure which side to take because this all felt so confusing to him. Alexa then walked up to him after she finished talking with the curious Yautja child.

"Thanks for that training session, Scar. I'm sure I'll be able to defend myself very well once I'm back on Earth." She said to Scar in a friendly and appreciative manner.

"Glad to help." Replied Scar. Alexa nodded and then she turned to go to god knows where. Suddenly, Scar had an idea. Since he was unsure about whether the feeling he had about Alexa were indeed genuine or if he was crazy, Scar decided that he should get to know Alexa a bit more before she would have to depart from the Shadow Hunter clan mothership back to her species' home planet.

"Alexa, would you be interested in grabbing some c'nlip with me?" Asked Scar. Upon hearing these words, she stopped dead in her tracks and turned around.

"Grabbing some what?" Questioned Alexa, as she had misheard Scar say the word that sounded like it didn't belong in her native language at all.

"C'nlip, it's an alcoholic Yautja beverage." Scar stated in response. That word now of all a sudden sounded familiar because Scar's friend Wolf mentioned it when she first met him in the dining hall of the mothership. Alexa remembered that is was a very strong alcoholic beverage, almost too brutal for her personal tastes.

"Oh, no thanks Scar. That drink is too strong for a human like me to handle." Replied Alexa.

"I'm sure it is possible to dilute it with water, if that will help make it easier for you to drink." Stated Scar, trying his best to convince Alexa to spend some time to socialize with him with what little time she had left aboard the clan's mothership.

"Well…I guess I could give it a try."

* * *

 

Soon enough, Alexa and Scar found themselves inside Scar's private quarters with a bottle of c'nlip for them to share. Since Alexa found the taste of this intoxicating Yautja beverage to be far too fierce for any human being like her, she decided to take Scar's advice and dilute it using water. Doing so would've ruined the flavour for any typical Yautja, but Alexa was going to do it anyway. She took the c'nlip now with water added to it and gave it a sip. It was still strong, though not nearly as much as it was beforehand; which Alexa could now tolerate to her surprise.

"I guess this c'nlip tastes better when it's diluted, for a human like me at least." Stated Alexa.

"I'm not surprised; you oomans are a lot weaker than we Yautja are. But not you, Alexa, you have the true blood of a Yautja like me." Replied Scar, jokingly uttering the frailty of the humans. Alexa didn't seem to mind, since she knew how strong the Yautja really were. Scar then took a swig of his c'nlip, undiluted and pure for his taste.

"I know you won't be here for long, Alexa, but I still want to know who you really are." He spoke to her with a sense of aspiration in his deep and raspy voice.

"Who I really am?" Asked Alexa, staggered that he posed her such a question.

"Yes. Who is the warrior behind the Mark of Honor, Alexa?" Scar retorted, making it quite clear that he wished to learn about Alexa and her past life as a human before he would have to say his possibly final farewell to the blooded human female. Alexa knew that she just had to tell him the truth because she trusted him more than any other member of the Shadow Hunter clan.

"Well, first off, I think I should probably tell you my age. I'm 28 years old." Said Alexa, starting off this chain of conversation between her and the Yautja hunter. "I am 51 cycles old." Replied Scar. This surprised Alexa, as she would not have predicted that to be Scar's current age.

"Really? I didn't think you were that old." Stated Alexa.

"51 cycles is not old for a Yautja. We can live up to 500 cycles." Scar replied once more, revealing the lifespan of his species to Alexa.

"So…does that mean we're in the same age range of our species then?" Questioned Alexa, curious to know if she and Scar really were technically in the same age range despite both of their species having different lifespans.

"Yes, it does." Replied Scar, nodding his head. Alexa began to wonder what she should bring up next about her life as a human. She knew that Scar had been to Earth before, but most likely had not seen anything else apart from the Antarctic region during his last hunt. Perhaps explaining where she grew up would be a good choice.

"I grew up in Denver, Colorado. That's where I lived before the whole incident at the Antarctic pyramid. It's a good place down there, I miss it a lot. Lots of friendly faces, my family; I just can't leave that all behind. That's why I made the request to return back to Earth. It's not that I don't want to know what's out there in the Milky Way Galaxy, I just can't take abandoning my family." Alexa explained in a very brief manner as not to drone on and on about human culture, revealing the true reason why she chose to leave the Shadow Hunter clan's mothership as soon as possible.

Scar felt touched by what she said; which also reminded him about how she told him that she cares for the clan members of his bloodline. She hated abandoning anyone, which would explain why she was hesitant to take the life of her fellow expedition member Sebastian De Rosa when he became infected with a Xenomorph; though this was something about her that he did not know about.

"What about you, Scar?" Alexa questioned, wanting to hear his backstory from him personally.

"Where did I grow up? Aboard this very mothership. We're a nomadic species, traversing wherever the stars may bring us to next and hunting down dangerous life forms to please Paya herself." Explained Scar.

There was that name that Alexa had heard the other Yautja among the clan say before but never understood what it was supposed to mean; Paya. She just had to question whatever or whoever this supposed Paya was that the Yautja always seemed to bring up.

"Who is Paya?" She questioned Scar once again.

"Paya is the warrior goddess of the Yautja. Supposedly, she wrote the sacred Honor Code and we honor her in every hunt we embark on. Her spirit also resides within the blood of all Yautja blooded under the Honor Code; and that includes you, Alexa. I'm not sure what gods you oomans believe in, but now you must have two divine beings watching over you now." Scar briefly enlightened, assuming that oomans had a greater power to believe in just like the Yautja did.

Alexa was never one to be very religious, so she took the whole thought about a human god and a Yautja watching over her simultaneously with a grain of salt. The two of them continued to converse with another about their past lives while downing some more c'nlip as well as snacking on some naxa, a fruit that Alexa remembered eating with her dinner the past night which was quite juicy and tangy.

Scar had to admit, it was nice to enjoy this time with Alexa before she would depart back to her home world. He just wished that this wouldn't be the last moments he would ever have with Alexa; but little did he or Alexa know what lied for them both…


	7. Chapter 6 - Hunters Among Legends

**Chapter 6: Hunters Among Legends**

The wait was now one day away; Alexa's appeal to return home to planet Earth just as she had so dearly requested. She knew that she was going to miss the Shadow Hunter Yautja clan; especially Scar, but she figured that it would always remain as a memory in her mind which she would never forget about. After all, the Mark of Honor was still permanently engraved into her flesh therefore giving her the status as a blooded Yautja hunter by law.

Alexa was still a human and not a pureblood Yautja like the rest of the clan, so she would certainly be an interesting individual among the rest of human society back on Earth; but she figured that the possibilities of humanity discovering that they were not alone were quite slim after the Antarctic expedition to Bouvetøya failed spectacularly. This was because of the possibility that the data that the expedition team managed to get a hold of from the Antarctic pyramid was lost in the skirmish that took place there and without the pyramid standing underneath that thick layer of Antarctic ice; the secrets that the expedition team uncovered could potentially be lost forever.

It would however, be quite a surprise to her co-workers at Weyland-Yutani to see her walk through the doors alive and well after them and her family all presumed her to have died along with the rest of the fallen expedition crew. Alexa could not wait until the moment would finally arrive tomorrow, to feel her feet on Earth's fertile soil once again after what felt like an eternity in god knows where exactly in outer space the clan's mothership was venturing.

However, despite all of this excitement to at long last come home, Alexa still felt the need to say her final farewells to the Yautja aboard. They shocked her with their monstrous appearances but were truly civilized beings (the only exception of course being Cage) with their own cultural norms and traditions; though any normal human might consider them to be slightly morbid. Even Alexa herself thought that the whole hunting ideology of collecting skulls of whatever dangerous life form they slaughtered in combat as a symbolic kill trophy was a bit cadaverous.

Regardless of what her own personal thoughts on these Yautja traditions were, she still respected them since the hunts were all sanctioned by a strict and deeply consecrated Honor Code; therefore preventing the hunters from spilling any innocent blood and tarnishing their honor. The hunters were men of honor and self-morality in the name of their hunts and all-encompassing Goddess Paya; to which Alexa highly admired.

* * *

 

At this time, Scar knew that these strange thoughts for the human female had to mean something. They were keeping him up that night, forcing him to ponder about them for hours. He just laid there on his bed, starring up at the ceiling as he thought about whatever was coming to his mind at the moment; which seemed to be purely about Alexa.

No doubt Scar felt enraged when he saw Cage try to spill her blood with a dagger in his claws and nothing short of pure malevolence filling his eyes. He also remembered that he was still furious when Cage was given the sentence of exile for the attempted murder of Alexa rather than death like he had sincerely hoped for. With the weird thought he had about whether or not it was possible for a Yautja and a human to mate; Scar wasn't sure where that came from but he knew that with something like that flowing inside his mind, he undeniably felt that way for her. So that was it, Scar now knew that he was officially xenophilic.

The only thing now was to determine how exactly he would break this news to her. Scar didn't just want to mate with her on a one-night stand like he had done before with a couple Yautja females in the past; but instead he wanted to have her as his Life Mate. He gave her the Mark of Honor with his own blood, so therefore Scar felt that she should be his one Life Mate for the rest of her life; as he was most likely going to outlive Alexa since Yautja lifecycles were much longer than humans. Scar wondered if Alexa thought about him in the same way, but he suspected that she may see him otherwise. He didn't want to face rejection from him or find out that Alexa saw him more as a brother than a potential mate.

Alexa seemed like the perfect mate for him; she was a skilled warrior no doubt and he didn't feel intimidated by her nearly as much as he was by typical Yautja women. That was what Scar always desired in a hypothetical Life Mate if he was ever to make the grandiose choice to limit himself to only one mate for the rest of his life or until his Life Mate was to die first. He concluded that he knew that he would have to tell her after the ceremony tomorrow where both Alexa and Scar would be honored for successfully killing a Xenomorph Queen along with several other Xenomorph drones in the process.

Scar was looking forward to that ceremony as well, since his fellow brethren would no longer see him as just a Youngblood anymore; but something far greater. Knowing that he still needed to get some rest for the night, Scar began to slowly close his eyes and fall into a state of slumber; where he would dream about one thing and one thing only: Alexa.

* * *

 

Morning soon arrived aboard the mothership, and the ceremony honoring Alexa and Scar on their hunt would commence very shortly. The service was initially going to take place a day earlier, but it was postponed with very short notice due to Cage's precocious infidelity towards the clan since he needed to be trialed for the crimes he committed. With that all said and done, this was something that both Alexa and Scar couldn't wait for.

Alexa was strapping on her Yautja hunting outfit which she had now become accustomed to wearing. She had to admit, even though it was originally designed for a completely different alien species; the Yautja attire she wore matched with her quite well. The heated fishnets, gauntlets, bio-mask and loincloth; they all seemed to look great on her for some reason she could not quite figure out. Alexa felt that the only thing she would change would be the hair since she wasn't too fond of having her hair braided into dreadlocks like the fleshy tendrils on a Yautja's body. As soon as she got to return home to Earth, Alexa planned to fix her hair back to the way she liked it before all of these events aboard the Shadow Hunter clan's mothership took place. She still kept them this way while aboard the Yautja vessel because the fellow clan members seemed to give her respect since she proved her worth and also looked somewhat like one with all of that hunting armor on; despite them all especially the females towering over her like giants.

Nonetheless, Alexa planned to resume her old life back on Earth; but she had no idea how it would work. What if the world had changed while she was with the Shadow Hunter Yautja clan out in deep space? What about those answers found inside the Antarctic pyramid before it was destroyed? These were questions that Alexa could not ignore as she stared into her own reflection shinning on the bio-mask in her hands. Returning to a normal human life wasn't going to be easy for Alexa following this astounding experience with another sentient race from beyond the stars.

She hoped that this wouldn't be the last time she would ever see the Yautja species, but Alexa felt the exact opposite way for the Xenomorphs since she still wasn't entirely sure what those behemoths in black were supposed to be; yet their presence and fiendish appearance alone was enough to send chills down her spine and make her skin crawl. It was no wonder the Yautja hated the Xenomorphs so much and deemed them as "the ultimate prey"; as with Alexa's limited knowledge of the vast diversity of sentient life forms in the Milky Way, she thought they were the most terrifying thing she had ever seen in her entire life.

The blast door to Alexa's private quarters flew open and in walked Scar, already dressed up in his hunting armor for the commemoration taking place very soon.

"Alexa, the service will be beginning shortly. We must hurry if we are to be honored for our victory on the hunt back on the pyramid." He spoke to her, assuring Alexa that they had very little time before the tribute to the first human female to over become blooded under Yautja law along with the Yautja hunter who almost died out in the frosty winds with her. Alexa knew that Scar was right, as she had just finished strapping on her traditional Yautja hunting attire; so time was not meant to be wasted.

"Of course, Scar. Let's just go." She replied as she turned to leave her private quarters with Scar following right behind.

Scar picked up his pace until he was walking beside Alexa through the mothership's corridors; which is when Alexa spoke up again.

"I really have to owe it to you and the Shadow Hunter clan, Scar. I was certain that I was going to die out there in the freezing Antarctic climate, but I'm still alive and about to be honored by your clan for our successful hunt." Stated Alexa, expressing her gratitude towards the Yautja hunter.

He slightly chuckled; not in a mocking tone but rather in one that sounded like he was amused.

"It is our clan, Alexa. You will always be one among the Shadow Hunter bloodline, even if we are worlds or lightyears apart." Scar said in response to Alexa's statement.

These words sank into Alexa's mind as the two of them continued to walk together through the ship's corridors. She thought about what Scar said to her, agreeing with herself that it was indeed true. Alexa would soon be returning to Earth, possibly never going to see another Yautja; part of the Shadow Hunter clan or not again in her lifetime. While she would be back on Earth living a hopefully normal human life with her old friends and family, she would always have the Yautja Mark of Honor engraved into her skin; forever cementing her as a blooded Yautja hunter.

Should humanity learn the truth about the existence of extra-terrestrial beings within the Milky Way Galaxy, it could be possible that Alexa's friends and family back on Earth whom she refused to abandon might discover her induction into a Yautja clan. Alexa highly doubted that her family back on Earth would notice this at all, so she didn't bother dawning on about it any longer within her mind. She just kept her head still and focused on the ceremony about to happen on the other side of the approaching blast door right in front of them both.

The blast door itself opened to reveal a room that looked quite familiar to Alexa, as it was the hall of righteousness where Cage had his trial held a couple days prior. It now became apparent to Alexa that the hall of righteousness in Yautja culture was meant to serve as both a court of law and a ceremonial location where the Elders would honor the hunters victorious in their hunts. Many eyes were looking at both Scar and Alexa; all of which were cheerful and exultant to see the brave, unlikely hunters that Alexa and Scar were.

While Alexa was admittingly a little nervous, she knew inside that she had nothing to worry about with no xenophobic Yautja around to try and slaughter her this time. She looked straight ahead and saw yet another familiar face; Elder Zechaot. The Yautja Elder appeared to be holding something that looked like one of the combisticks that she and Scar were using in the training arena the day before; only this one was quite ornamental in its design. She wondered why it appeared to be so uniquely decorative compared to the ones that she and Scar used before; suggesting that maybe it was designed that way because it was a prized version of the weapon to be awarded to her for successfully killing a Xenomorph Queen.

It seemed like the only plausible explanation, but then again; she always managed to come across unique surprises within Yautja culture, so Alexa really couldn't tell if her predictions would be correct or not. They best way to truly know would just be to wait and find out for herself then.

Alexa and Scar approached the Yautja Elder before halting once they both stood at the center of the hall of righteousness; capturing the attention of all the clan members gathered inside.

"Alexa Woods, on behalf of the Yautja of the Shadow Hunter clan, we present to you an ornate combistick for successfully killing a Kiande Amedha Queen. This weapon is for you keep, etched with your blood as a hunter." Said Elder Zechaot, proudly presenting the weapon to her like he was full of pride to bestow her with it.

This was because he truly was proud to give such an honor to Alexa for proving her worth not just as a Yautja hunter but also as decorated member of the Shadow Hunter bloodline. Alexa then took two steps forward to accept the prize from the Yautja Elder.

"The honor's all mine, Elder Zechaot." She spoke to him as she reached out her arms with palms wide open for the combistick.

That was when another one of the clan elders approached the two of them with a ceremonial dagger crafted from the bladed tail of a Xenomorph in his bands. This caused Alexa to become confused, wondering why a ceremonial dagger would be required in a ritual like this; let alone any dagger at all since she knew that she would be receiving her own combistick instead. She just had to speak up and question the Yautja Elder why this would be involved because it was staggering her beyond belief.

"What's with the dagger, Elder?" Questioned Alexa.

"For this weapon to truly be yours, Alexa; we must draw blood from your flesh. When the blood touches the weapon, it is yours until death claims your life." Explained Elder Zechoat.

Alexa now understood why this Yautja ritual involved using a ceremonial dagger; it was essentially a way of Yautja hunters swearing blood onto their weapons to claim them as their own.

_Swearing my blood upon this steel, or whatever the hell this weapon is made of. I get it now._ Alexa thought to herself as she took in Elder Zechaot's words.

With the palms of her hands still open wide, Alexa prepared herself as the other Yautja Elder brought the edge of the blade closer to her skin. This whole thing felt like getting a needle to her; slightly painful and unpleasant but over before you'd know it. The blade of the ceremonial dagger pierced her skin and began to draw out a little bit of blood. Alexa cringed slightly from the tiny amount of pain, but just carried onward with the ceremony.

With the dagger now removed from Alexa's hand, she looked down at it and saw the small wound expelling a tiny dose of her blood that seemed like it was the right enough size to complete this Yautja ritual. She then felt Elder Zechaot placing the combistick into her hands, to which she tightened her grip on it. The Yautja Elder then leaned in slightly and whispered to her.

"Repeat after me, Alexa." He said in a quiet voice that only he and Alexa could hear. Alexa assumed that now she would complete her part of the ceremony by swearing an oath to the clan's main Elder as an officially blooded warrior of the Shadow Hunter clan. She nodded in response and waited to hear the words she would utter to pledge upon herself and the clan.

"I, Alexa Woods," Began Elder Zechaot.

"I, Alexa Woods," She repeated just as instructed with her head bowed down.

"Solemnly vow to uphold my honor,"

"Solemnly vow to uphold my honor,"

"To hunt evil and protect the innocent,"

"To hunt evil and protect the innocent,"

"To only kill those deemed worthy,"

"To only kill those deemed worthy,"

"To bring honor to the Shadow Hunter clan,"

"To bring honor to the Shadow Hunter clan,"

"And to serve and honor Paya until death claims me too."

"And to serve and honor Paya until death claims me too." Alexa stated, concluding the oath she would swear upon herself before looking back up at Elder Zechaot's face.

"Congratulations, Alexa. You are now officially a member of the Shadow Hunter clan for as long as you shall live; with that combistick being your symbol of a true Yautja warrior." He spoke to Alexa in a voice that genuinely sounded like he was proud of her achievements, to which he indeed was.

Roars of applause from the clan members filled the air of the hall of righteousness, chanting out Alexa's name; fully translated to better suit her human ears. They were undeniably thrilled to have her now officially a member of their bloodline, even if she would be leaving for her home planet tomorrow. Never once had a member of another sentient species within the Milky Way been identified with the Yautja Mark of Honor, making Alexa a truly unique warrior among the likes of the purebloods around her. This would certainly mark a great change in the way that Yautja enforced and lived by the sacred Honor Code; or maybe it wouldn't.

Alexa couldn't tell for sure, but she did know that she was going to miss all of this once she returned to Earth. As she raised the new ornamental combistick into the air, she felt more alive aboard the Shadow Hunter clan's mothership than ever before. She never imagined that members of another sentient species would cheer for her, but it was indeed true.

While it was great while it lasted, Alexa knew that the ceremony was not over yet as the Elders still had to honor Scar for his efforts on the hunt; as well as passing the Mark of Honor down to her as a worthy bearer of such a privileged symbol on her skin. Alexa could only wonder on what exactly Scar's ritual would be since he was already blooded before the hunt on the Antarctic pyramid; therefore creating a differentiating sacramental passage than hers to follow.

He most likely wouldn't be literally swearing his blood upon his weapons in the same manner that Alexa was instructed to by the clan Elder. She rose down her combistick, looked away from the crowd behind her and focused her line of sight at Scar and Elder Zechaot; ready to take in whatever way that these Yautja had planned to award Scar for his noble efforts on the hunt.

Whatever it was, Alexa was unsure it would be like since she was greeted with surprise after surprise within almost every aspect of Yautja culture.

Elder Zechaot approached Scar, placing his open claw on his shoulder.

"Scar, my son. You are no longer a Youngblood now that you have successfully killed a Kiande Amedha Queen and passed the Mark of Honor to an unlikely yet highly worthy prodigy." The Yautja Elder spoke to Scar, undoubtedly proud that he was able to achieve such a feat.

"Also, that z'skvy-de nearly killed you after you were steadily healing from the massive impalement wound of the Kiande Amedha Queen's tail blade. You survived dhi'ki-de twice without it corrupting your honor; something that only very few Yautja could ever achieve in the entirety of their life cycles. That I admire from you greatly." He continued to say in regard to Scar's hunt that proved he was no longer a Youngblood like his peers saw him before the hunt at the Antarctic pyramid.

"Thank you, Elder." Scar said in response to the wise and prominent words of Elder Zechaot.

Everything he said to him brought Scar in high spirits as he was not just happy to be alive and continue hunting with his Yautja brethren of the Shadow Hunter clan, but also because he had a subconscious fear of death that kept growing on him since he almost died twice in what would have been brutally agonizing ways to depart from his life. As luck would have it, Scar did not croak and he was ready to return to his hunts; wherever in the Milky Way Galaxy they would be next.

"For your efforts of killing a Kiande Amedha Queen on your previous hunt and fending death off with your own very eyes, the Shadow Hunter clan Elders are pleased to present you with this weapon to honor you." Said Elder Zechaot as another one of the clan's Elder came up to the two of them, holding some kind of fancy looking weapon.

It wasn't a ceremonial dagger, as it was much large but appeared to be made out the exact same material that those smaller ritualistic blades were comprised of. When Scar's eyes saw the weapon in the hands of the clan Elder, he was struck with awe. It was a Yautja katana; a type of sword that only the most prestigious and renowned Yautja would use on their hunts. To add this blade to his collection of was beyond jubilant to him.

Even Alexa found the blade to be very extravagant, admittingly a little jealous that he received a better weapon than she did.

"Scar, we present to you a Yautja katana for you to bear. Use it well on your hunts, wherever they shall be next. You are a Youngblood no more; the full potential of your Yautja life awaits you. I guarantee that you will be remembered as a Yautja hero and there will be many females awaiting you out there." Said Elder Zechaot, taking the blade from the other Yautja Elder and carefully passing it over to Scar.

Full of pride more than he ever was before in his life, Scar took the katana from Elder Zechaot's hands and stared at the blade with amazement.

"Thank you, Paya." He muttered under his breath out of pure wonder and disbelief that he was being granted such a weapon, expressing his gratitude to his Goddess Paya as many Yautja would.

"Paya is indeed proud of you, Scar. She has granted you the chance to live again, and now you must honor her again by maintaining the sacred Honor Code. Use this katana to your will on your next hunts." Instructed Elder Zechaot, commanding Scar to carry on his Yautja hunting traditions to fulfill his life to the maximum potential.

Scar of course; was still going to continue pursuing his hunts after being gifted such an honorary weapon from the clan Elders, just as any typical Yautja male would do.

"Of course, Elder Zechaot." Said Scar in response to the imperatives given to him by the clan Elder, willing to do just as he had been given the orders for.

However, something else was on his mind. Where exactly would he choose to hunt next? There were many options to choose from despite the tendencies of the Yautja species to generally avoid contact with species that had developed technology for interstellar travel; which there were actually a significant portion of present within the Milky Way Galaxy. He pondered the possibility of maybe hunting on Earth, but a memory recalling the freezing Antarctic climate persuaded him to think again. No part of him wanted to endure that again; though he was still curious to know what Earth was really like.

All that the stories that Alexa told him only made him eager to see for himself the reality of the humans' home planet. Scar's train of thought was quickly interrupted by the voice of the Yautja Elder calling out to those who were observing the ceremony.

"Brothers and sisters of the Shadow Hunter clan, Alexa Woods and Scar have brought honor to our bloodline and Paya's might. For as long as they shall live, these hunters shall be recognized as our clan's heroes. As for Alexa, she just may be the most surprising Yautja I have ever met and I am proud to officially declare her a member of the Shadow Hunter clan; even if she is scheduled to return to Earth tomorrow just as she had humbly requested." Stated Elder Zechaot, announcing to the clan members with delight present in his speech.

He knew that these two hunters were truly exceptional beyond saying, as told by a feeling he had from within his gut.

* * *

 

Shortly after the ceremony inside the hall of righteousness concluded, everyone left and migrated off to the dining hall to feast upon a meal fit well enough for Paya herself. Just like the several times before, Alexa was going to have her own dish specially prepared for her since she was the only human among the likes of the pureblood Yautja of the Shadow Hunter clan, thanks to the female Yautja healer Gua'ytaan efforts to convince the clan's servants to do so.

While they waited for the food to arrive, Alexa used Scar's recommendation of diluting the strong taste of c'nlip with water since the Yautja alcoholic beverage was far too strong for her taste alone. She may have been a Blooded Yautja by law now, but Alexa certainly did not have any plans to eat or drink like one of their kind. The Yautja all around her really didn't seem to mind either way, not that it even mattered. It was this moment when Gua'ytaan decided to break the silence and spoke to Alexa as the two of them were sitting next to each other once again.

"How does it feel to officially become one of us, Alexa?" She questioned the human female with curiosity.

"I'm not gonna lie, it does feel a little bit strange, Gua'ytaan; especially since I'm leaving for Earth tomorrow. Having a sister who belongs to a different species who lives lightyears away…that's something my younger self wouldn't believe even if I told her myself. Yet, it somehow happened to me and I'll never be the same afterwards." Replied Alexa, stating that while she was willing to accept the terms of becoming a new member of the Shadow Hunter Yautja clan, Alexa still found it hard to believe that it was true.

Gua'ytaan also took note of how Alexa referred her to as a sister, something she was actually quite grateful to hear. She could not deny that Alexa was the best sister she could possibly ask for since Alexa never looked down upon her like many others have in the past. Alexa then looked at the female Yautja healer with a look on her face that surely meant that she was going to yearn for her surprisingly friendly presence for many years to come.

"I'm going to miss you, Gua'ytaan." Said Alexa.

"Is there any other members of the clan you will miss as well, Alexa? Certainly I am not the only one." Gua'ytaan asked once more.

"Well, there is one other Yautja among this clan's bloodline who I will miss more than all. It's Scar. Kind of a shame really, I felt like the two of us were starting to hit it off after Cage was sentenced into exile." Alexa retorted as she looked over at Scar; who was situated opposite from her at the table, feeling slightly thwarted about having to say what she presumed would be her final farewells to Scar the next day.

Little did she know about the thoughts that were running amok inside of his head…

Scar heard those words Alexa spoke, learning that she too wished that their bond together didn't have to end so soon. It brought a sliver of hope to him that maybe; just maybe Alexa would agree his proposition. The only problem was, Scar was not sure when the right time to say so was. Obviously, blurting it out at the very moment inside the dining hall might not serenate so well with Alexa and the other members of the clan; so that option was put out of the picture. Time was running short and if he did not make up his mind on when to break the news to Alexa and his fellow Yautja brethren, Scar would no doubt miss his one and only chance to propose his sincere request for Alexa Woods to become his Life Mate.

He began to run through the possibilities of when should he reveal his true inner feelings towards this human female, but his train of thought was quickly interrupted when the servants entered the dining hall to bring out the feast for tonight's ceremony of Alexa and Scar's triumphant victory on their hunt. Scar noticed that a significant amount of cooked meat had been presented in addition to the usual bloody raw meat and assortment of exotic fruits that Yautja normally consumed.

He thought it was strange that humans preferred to cook their meat rather than eating it rare, just as any typical Yautja would think so. However, with the thought about Alexa flowing freely inside his mind, Scar began to wonder just how this cooked meat the way humans preferred to eat would taste. There would clearly be no harm in just trying it out to see what it tasted like, so Scar decided that he would give the cooked meat a crack.

Looking around, Scar saw that every single one of his Yautja brothers and sisters were of course gorging at the raw, uncooked meat dripping with blood. Then, he saw Alexa; eating some of that cooked meat and it encouraged him to try it once. Scar reached his hand over and grabbed a relatively small slab of cooked meat off the platter and gave it a sniff. The smell wasn't revolting, just odd to him. He then slowly but steadily took a bite; to which he was surprised that it actually didn't taste as bad as he would've initially thought.

While he was satisfied with trying out the cooked meat, Scar still wanted to know if he preferred it over the rare meat that he had been eating for his entire life as a Yautja hunter. He took another piece of meat, this time one that was raw and saturated in whatever blood of the creature it originally came from. After trying them both, Scar actually seemed to prefer the cooked meat over the rare meat to his shock. Was this because of the thoughts of Alexa Woods he had, or was it something else?

Whatever the case was, Scar knew that Alexa had changed him in some way or another and he couldn't deny that one bit at all. He knew that he had to confess to her soon, but his hunger drove him to focus more on his dinner that night. Perhaps he would get the chance to voice himself before Alexa would be gone on her home planet, lightyears away from the Shadow Hunter clan for the rest of her life.

It would've seemed like a last-minute approach, but that was all that Scar could do now.


	8. Chapter 7 - Return to Earth

**Chapter 7: Return to Earth**

It may have only been a few days, yet it still felt like an eternity to Alexa.

She desperately wanted to return to Earth not just because she didn't want to abandon her old human life in addition to her family, but also because Alexa felt that she wasn't ready to explore the wonders of the Milky Way Galaxy. Alexa believed that if she was going to do so, it would have to be with the rest of humanity on a grand journey to discover new worlds and possibly even colonize them. That just wasn't possible in the year 2004 as humanity's space travel technology at the time was considered "primitive" by galactic standards.

Simply put, Alexa didn't want to foresee what mysterious spectacles would lay within the Milky Way before the rest of humanity even got the chance. It was quite a noble choice for her to make, as Alexa knew that her generation wouldn't even travel outside their own solar system. This only made her experiences with the Shadow Hunter Yautja clan all the more captivating, as Alexa still pondered the possibilities of what persisted within the cosmos. With her choice to return back to her home planet taking place this very day, Alexa could only contemplate whatever kind of extra-terrestrial life besides the Yautja and Xenomorph species could exist out there. She had no idea what to expect and most likely wouldn't encounter another alien race ever again in her life.

Even if Alexa would never again visit another alien race, her experience with the Shadow Hunter clan would always cling onto her as memory of which she never wanted to forget. It was so riveting, full of twists and turns among a strange and peculiar alien culture built upon the foundations of honor and a hunting ideology. Alexa was welcomed with open arms into the Shadow Hunter clan's bloodline, almost murdered by a spiteful Yautja with an intensifying grudge against human beings and developed a friendship with a Yautja hunter by the name of Scar. She tried to save his life back on the Antarctic island of Bouvetøya, and Scar in return stepped in and spared Alexa's life when Cage tried to spill her blood.

The two of them certainly owed it to each other no doubt, but the future of these two individuals of different species would soon unfold a path that seemed so unlikely for them to tread upon.

Alexa barely had any new belongings from the Shadow Hunter clan's mothership to bring back to Earth and claim as her own; all of that being the Yautja hunting attire she was fitted with and the ornate combistick awarded to her by the clan's elders. She of course planned to return to Earth with these alien relics along with the memories about the wonders she had witnessed and undergone here in this region of space completely unknown to her, as they were all purely for sentimental reasons. There was however, the speculation that Alexa's life back on Earth would never be the same as what it once was before she knew about the existence of extra-terrestrial life. It was a thought that Alexa herself could not get out of her head.

She knew that it was true, but how exactly would her life on Earth differ after being dragged out of the frosty Antarctic winds by a bunch of Yautja hunters completely perplexed her. Staring into the bio-mask she held in her hands, Alexa gazed at her reflection but more specifically, the Mark of Honor engraved into her cheek. That was what made most of the Yautja of the Shadow Hunter clan respect her and not become apprehensive about the mere idea of one of her kind being inducted into their bloodline, because it was symbol that embodied admiration and had to be earned by blood.

Scar didn't just give it to her without reason, he saw a true warrior inside her and thought that Alexa was far too good to be deemed as prey; not to mention that he was on the brink of death when he gave Alexa the blemish on her skin which she would always remember. There was nothing else he could've done, yet he survived and was honored for his victory on the hunt and surviving death twice.

After all that, Alexa didn't know whether she saw herself as a human in Yautja skin or the latter. Those Yautja hunters seemed very human-like despite those fearsome otherworldly faces according to Alexa's own personal experience with the Shadow Hunter clan, so she couldn't really tell. Regardless, she pressed the bio-mask against her forehead and repeatedly whispered "I am human" to herself for about half a minute. She may have been blooded as a hunter by Yautja law, but Alexa was still a human biologically and wanted nothing more at the moment to be a human; a sentient being possessing a unique intelligence yet still hampered by some of humanity's very own primitive weaknesses. By no means perfect or truly divine, it was still what Alexa sincerely desired to be.

* * *

 

After a brief moment of Alexa murmuring to herself, she decided that she must know how much longer it would be exactly until the clan's mothership was about to reach planet Earth. Time was running out fast, yet it appeared to be slipping so slowly in her perception. Alexa placed the bio-mask back down on the floor next to her ornate combistick and walked outside of her private quarters; which were soon to become completely empty. Alexa continued to navigate her way through the series of corridors within the mothership as she searched for a room that she knew existed on this vessel yet never once bothered to step inside until now, the bridge.

She never had a reason to enter this specific room before since there was no feasible way that she could operate the ship's controls; especially since it was already a challenge for her to learn how to use the gauntlets she was fitted with and those were very simplistic pieces of Yautja technology. Not to mention, she most likely wouldn't even have the authority to do so anyway.

When she stepped foot into the bridge, she was met with the sight of several alien looking computers being operated by various Yautja and there was also a massive plasma window displaying a great view of the many stars scattered throughout the void of outer space; passing by at the speed of light, given the fact that this Yautja mothership was of course capable of interstellar travel. She honestly didn't know what to expect from the bridge of the mothership, but seemed relatively satisfied with what she saw. In a way, it sort of reminded her of the bridge on the Enterprise starship from the TV show Star Trek which she used to watch back on Earth years ago; if it was run by Yautja hunters and had an entirely different mission that is.

One of the Yautja inside the bridge noticed Alexa's current presence and turned around to face her. It was of course, Elder Zechaot.

"Alexa Woods, I was not expecting you to drop by on the bridge. I didn't even consider that you knew where it was." The Yautja Elder spoke to her, slightly surprised to see her at the moment.

"I apologize for intruding, Elder. All I wish to know now is how long it will take for the mothership to reach Earth." Stated Alexa.

"I understand that you are anxious to return to your species' home world, Alexa. It will be very shortly, I assure you. But don't let this be the end of your journey as a Yautja hunter, Alexa. You swore your blood upon your combistick and a vow to Paya herself yesterday." Replied Elder Zechaot, wishing for Alexa to follow the hunting traditions of the Yautja Honor Code in addition to whatever kind of "normal" human life she would be living once she returned to Earth.

Alexa of course, did not want to disappoint the surprisingly calm Yautja Elder after what he had done for her in the short amount of time she had aboard his clan's mothership, as she nodded in response. "I will not disappoint you, Elder."

Leaving the mothership's bridge, Alexa decided that she might as well say her last farewells to Scar before returning to Earth since she figured that these would be the very last moments that she would see this Yautja hunter. He deserved a proper goodbye after everything that he had done for Alexa; saving her from Cage's heinous murder attempt, giving her advice on self-defence and even teaching her how to use Yautja technology to a certain extent.

As much as Alexa longed that this wouldn't be the last time she would ever set her eyes on Scar, Alexa knew that she had to accept reality and that neither him nor any of his fellow Yautja brothers or sisters would ever see her again. She began to look for Scar, passing through various areas of the clan's mothership to find out his current whereabouts. First, Alexa tried searching Scar's private quarters; which to her surprise were completely empty.

All of those strange alien skulls, fancy Yautja weapons; every single one could no longer be found there. It puzzled Alexa greatly, as something about this just didn't seem right.

"What the hell is going on here?" Questioned Alexa, scanning the room to see if there was anything left inside.

All that remained now was the bed; which was bolted to the floor so that it could not be moved and the blankets made from animal hides which covered it. She began to query herself to what it could really mean the possibilities that Scar was hiding something from her and maybe even the rest of the Shadow Hunter clan for all she knew. Alexa even began to wonder if Scar had already left the mothership while she slept last night, taking all of his worldly possessions along with him.

It seemed like another highly probable possibility, but it did not answer the question to why exactly Scar chose to do this. Alexa decided that she must report this to the clan at once, as she suspected that Scar had mysteriously vanished without a trace. He didn't even leave a message behind for her; not that Alexa could even read the written language of the Yautja species anyway, which only further made his supposedly abrupt disappearance all the more conspicuous. Something about this didn't seem right at all.

As Alexa left Scar's now empty private quarters, she began to pick up her pace under the illusion that he had inexplicably vanished from the clan's mothership. Suddenly, she stopped dead in her tracks as she saw Scar, standing among a group of other familiar Yautja including Wolf, Gua'ytaan, Celtic and Chopper; conversing with one another. She was far away enough to tell that they were engaging in a conversation, but far enough that she couldn't quite make out what they were saying even with the aid of her translator. Scar also had some kind of sack with him, which most likely contained the kill trophy skulls and weapons he had on display on the walls of his private quarters. He wasn't missing like she had predicted, but something about this whole ordeal was creating heaps of superstition within her mind.

No doubt Scar was planning to leave the Shadow Hunter clan's mothership, but it only posed the question to where exactly he planned to go; to which Alexa could not stand to ignore a second longer. She approached the group of Yautja and then spoke up to one particular Yautja among them.

"Scar."

The chatter amid the Yautja came to a screeching halt as they heard the voice of the blooded human female behind them. Turning around to face her, Scar looked at Alexa with a feeling in his eyes which she knew he had something that he desperately wanted to tell her.

"Alexa, I know that today you will be returning to your home planet Earth; but there is something you must know." Stated Scar, a tone of avidity clearly present in his voice.

Alexa of course, couldn't resist questioning Scar on the subject of whatever it was that he so anxiously wanted to inform her about.

"What is it, Scar?" She asked the Yautja hunter with impending curiosity as she waited for a reply from him.

There was brief pause, almost as if Scar had trouble articulating the very words which he desired to say; which was obviously not because of a language barrier since Alexa still had her translator turned on. It must've been because of an emotional reason, possibly that Scar himself was a tad nervous to make this confession to Alexa. He took in a deep breath and clicked his mandibles before he finally replied to her.

"Alexa, I…I want to return to Earth with you."

Alexa's eyes widened and gasped out of total shock. She could not believe what she heard Scar speak to her, words that spoke of an aspiration to not only travel to new world to live in but also a request to engage in a relationship with her. It was so shocking to her that Alexa tried to speak but the words just wouldn't come out of her mouth. She was speechless.

"Scar has chosen you as his mate, Alexa. Will you accept his offer of courtship?" Questioned Gua'ytaan, trying to get the astonished human female to say something.

"I-I don't even know what to say. We aren't even the same species, should this even be allowed?" Asked Alexa, mystified beyond belief that Scar would even consider this.

He undeniably felt like a good friend to have, but could something more than just camaraderie really bloom between a human female and a male Yautja hunter? That was exactly what Alexa found herself questioning once this strange, out of the blue news was broken to her.

"Well, we have been debating it amongst ourselves. Technically, you are a Yautja by law despite being an ooman biologically. Alexa, you technically belong to both of our species and you're lucky that the Shadow Hunter clan isn't a Yautja bloodline plagued with rampant xenophobia. If that were the case, you'd probably be dead by now." Explained Wolf, joining in on the conversation.

Alexa thought about what he had said to her, and soon came to the conclusion that Wolf was indeed correct in his statement. She also contemplated about those thoughts she had earlier that day regarding her true humanity. Was Alexa a human being in Yautja skin or a Yautja in the flesh of a human? Her blood was that of a human being and she knew it very well, so Alexa let her instincts determine which species she truly belonged to. She then looked at Scar, who looked down at her with eyes that yearned for someone to love.

"Scar, I didn't know you had these…feelings for me." Alexa spoke to the Yautja hunter.

Almost immediately after she uttered those very words, she began to realize how all the pieces came into place and revealed the true hidden journey from within Scar's mind was about seeking a potential mate. The look in his eyes when he was on the brink of death in the Antarctic wind, The Yautja Mark of Honor he engraved onto her cheek using his own blood, his soft and gentle caress against her skin, the inner rage Scar felt after Cage was exiled rather than executed; they all started to make sense now. Scar didn't just see a worthy Yautja warrior in his eyes, but also a female whom he wanted to take for himself before anyone else could.

"But I do feel this way for you, Alexa. Even I was sceptical about it myself if these feelings I had for you were genuine or if I was going mad, then I remembered about the Mark of Honor I gave you. You earned it by blood, no doubt. Paya knows I'm searching for a mate, Alexa, and I believe that you just may be the perfect one." Scar declared to Alexa, affirming that he did if truth be told feel like this for the blooded human female.

"Wow. Scar, I don't believe it." She said in response to Scar's avowal.

Scar seemed content with Alexa's response, but he did not realize that his interpretation wasn't quite what Alexa meant to say.

"Believe me when I say that-" Began Scar, only to be quickly interrupted by Alexa.

"No, Scar. I mean that I really don't believe what you said. How can I be sure that you're not just saying shit I want to hear?" Alexa said, trying her best not to mistrust the Yautja hunter confessing such dear and earnest emotions towards her.

She didn't take Yautja as psychologically manipulative, unless it involved tricking prey to fall into a trap during a hunt of course; but Alexa couldn't take any chances. What she wanted to know was the truth, no matter the cost.

"What I say to you is sincere, Alexa. Otherwise I would never have told my brethren about it and spark the debate on whether or not if it would be acceptable if I chose you as my mate." Said Scar in response.

"If they truly are as genuine as you say they are, then prove it." Stated Alexa, switching her translator off.

"Speak to me in my language, and tell me the truth about these so-called 'feelings' you have for me." Demanded Alexa, refusing to give a positive response to Scar's words until she heard him say them using his own voice, completely unfiltered from her translator.

Scar knew that he would have to articulate his true sentiments towards her, but it wasn't easy for a Yautja to speak human languages with jaws built with those mandibles. It was by no means impossible since Elder Zechaot, Wolf and Gua'ytaan were able to communicate in this human dialect fluently. Celtic and Chopper however could not, which was why they never interacted much with Alexa during her short time aboard the clan's mothership. Scar was right in the middle, where he was able to speak English to a certain extent but required him to pause frequently whenever speaking in it. Now was the time for Scar to speak from the heart using that coarse, raspy voice of his in Alexa's mother tongue. He clicked his mandibles before finally uttering the words which Alexa wished for.

"Alexa…will you…be my…Life Mate?" Scar solemnly asked her, anticipating that Alexa would accept his dear words this time around now that he emitted them using his true voice.

However, his response only seemed to spark even more confusion to Alexa with regards to an unfamiliar term which he used in his statement towards her. She looked back at the other Yautja around her.

"What did Scar mean by 'Life Mate'? Is this something I should know beforehand?" Inquired Alexa, hoping to find some kind of answer.

"You must not be familiar with how Yautja choose their mates within our culture, Alexa. We never bothered to inform you about this aspect of Yautja life since the rest of us believed that you would choose one of your own kind as a mate. Most Yautja males aren't even aroused by your kind anyway; so this makes Scar a very notable exception." Explained Gua'ytaan, revealing that an unexpected turn of events resulted in Alexa being told about a certain aspect of Yautja culture entirely.

Alexa knew that since Scar was seeking her out as a potential mate; or rather a "Life Mate" as he stated himself, so she might as well listen to what the female Yautja healer had to say in her explanation of Yautja mate selection customs. For all she knew, it could be entirely different to standards with any of humanity's numerous cultures across Earth.

"So without going into that much detail, what exactly is a Life Mate, Gua'ytaan?" Asked Alexa.

"Well, you see, Alexa; Yautja males have two options when it comes to selecting their mates within our culture. The first option is to mate with as many females as they wish," Began Gua'ytaan, concisely elucidating Alexa on some information that could be vital if she were to accept this opportunity greater than a lifetime.

_Lucky bastards, sounds just like every guy's dream_. Alexa thought to herself at the notion that Yautja males actually had the privilege of choice like this to make.

Most men whom Alexa knew back on Earth would certainly take that option if such a freedom existed in whatever culture they were a part of; so it only seemed even more abnormal to know that Scar wasn't choosing that path at all.

"And then there is the other option; which not many Yautja males pursue, but is openly available. Alexa, a Life Mate is someone who will be by your side until death claims either one of you." Gua'ytaan continued to explain.

Alexa figured that the reason why most Yautja males seemed to choose the option of having as many mates as they wish was self-explanatory. It now became apparent to Alexa that this term in Yautja culture was essentially their equivalent of what humans would refer to as a significant other. She thought about it for a minute as the other Yautja, Scar especially waited for her answer. This was such a big choice to make and with so little time before the clan's mothership would finally return to Earth to drop her off just as she had requested, by no means it was easy to decide.

Would she really want to spend her life with Scar as his Life Mate? This was another question running through her mind. If she accepted, Alexa would be forced to keep her relationship with the alien hunter on Earth in a state of complete and total secrecy. God knew what would happen if the government or even Weyland-Yutani for that matter discovered the existence of his species. Alexa could only wonder what unconventional methods Weyland-Yutani would try to implement for research on the Yautja race if they ever captured Scar.

Even so, Alexa predicted that if would be extremely hard to incarcerate a live Yautja, so she figured that the possibilities of that happening were next to none.

Eagerly waiting for Alexa's response, Scar looked down at the blooded human female, praying to Paya in his mind that she would accede with his dear request.

"Scar…I will be your Life Mate," Said Alexa, taking a hold of Scar's claws and looking up at him right in his glistering reptilian eyes.

"Come with me to planet Earth, and I shall show you what it means to be a human. You have shown me what it means to be a Yautja, and now it's time for me to return the favor." Said Alexa, giving the consent which Scar wished for so badly in his heart.

She could tell that he was incontrovertibly blissful with her response, as she expected just about any man to feel that way if she agreed to start a relationship with him.

"I…will…come…with you…Alexa." Replied Scar.

So it was official, Scar would now be secretly living with Alexa on planet Earth. She could only imagine what life would be like with this Yautja hunter inside her house, introducing him to the norms of human culture and how to adjust to this odd new way of life; which of course would have to be done in a position of vivid confidentiality at all times. Alexa wasn't sure how she would make do with hiding a seven-foot tall alien hunter in her home, but knew that she would figure it out once she and Scar stood on Earth's soil after what felt like an eternity to her.

"Great. I guess you picked a good time to gather up your stuff because we should be arriving at Earth very shortly." Stated Alexa, referring to the sack containing Scar's worldly possessions.

The Yautja hunter quickly became sceptical about the climate of Earth, hoping that it wouldn't be like the frosty Antarctic winds. He was a cold-blooded creature, not used to such harsh weather like that at all. Scar just had to question Alexa about this particular issue regarding what was about to become his new home with her, as he could not bear to stand that kind of climate ever again.

"Will…Earth be…cold….Alexa?" Scar questioned her once again.

"No, Scar. Colorado won't nearly be as cold as Antarctica, I promise." Alexa replied, assuring Scar that he wouldn't have to relieve that type of agony again on his return to planet Earth. She then turned to the other Yautja around her, addressing them in what she believed to be one last valediction.

"I'm going to miss all of you guys, I promise that I will take care of Scar. Your brother is in good hands as my people would say." Alexa said with a minor sense of desolation in her speech, knowing that she would never see these particular alien faces ever again; Gua'ytaan, Wolf, Celtic and Chopper. Even so, she would still have Scar in her life nonetheless.

The female Yautja healer also appeared to have the exact same feeling that Alexa was experiencing, as she too wished that she could see Alexa in the future because despite being different species; Alexa truly felt like a sister to Gua'ytaan.

"Alexa, before you go, I want you to have this." Gua'ytaan spoke to Alexa before handing over a necklace, one made from various types of alien teeth; none of which Alexa could decipher.

Despite this however, Alexa didn't care. She was simply glad that Gua'ytaan would give her something to remind her about the female Yautja healer who was one of the first Yautja of the Shadow Hunter clan to treat her as an equal member of the bloodline.

"Thank you, Gua'ytaan. It's such a thoughtful gift." She said in response to receiving the necklace from her.

"It is yours to keep and treasure forever." Alexa didn't know what to expect next, making Wolf's next action all the more surprising. Apparently he also wanted to give her a little something just like his sister Gua'ytaan had done.

"I also want you have this dagger, Alexa." He said as he handed over a weapon that Alexa found to be strikingly familiar for some reason she could not quite figure out. Then it hit her.

"Is this the same dagger that Cage tried to murder me with?" Queried Alexa, completely stunned that Wolf would even give her such a thing in the first place.

The Yautja nodded in response. "Yes, that is the very dagger which Cage used in a bitter attempt to spill your blood. Think of it as a trophy you have claimed, Alexa. He tried to kill you but failed, and this is a symbolic sign of victory in Yautja culture." Wolf retorted with a moderately reasonable explanation.

Alexa thought about it in the perspective of a Yautja hunter, and she had to say that she agreed with Wolf's words of insight. A well-thought extra-terrestrial relic indeed it was. Alexa even figured that she should say one final send-off to Chopper, since he was the one who dragged her out of the Antarctic snow and brought her aboard the Shadow Hunter clan's mothership while she was unconscious.

"Thanks for saving my life, Chopper. I really owe it to you as well." She spoke to him.

Chopper simply nodded in response since he could not speak a single word of her language; which was all that Alexa needed from him anyway. She was entirely content with it.

Time was now running short and Alexa knew that she had to gather up what little she had with her aboard the mothership; the gifts she received from the other Yautja, as any minute now it would be landing on Earth. A new life for both Alexa and Scar was about to commence.

* * *

 

The Shadow Hunter clan's mothership lowered itself down through Earth's atmosphere, cloaked and hidden away from all human eyes that could potentially be watching for say UFOs or anything alien of that matter. Humanity's space technology at this point in time was considered "primitive" by galactic standards and therefore could not detect a spacecraft such as a Yautja clan mothership due to technological limitations of the time period. Not a single computer on the planet could detect the camouflaged alien ship hovering over the skies of the outskirts of Denver, Colorado.

This was Alexa's home, although she had been so far away from it for long enough to make it seem like it wasn't even native land. The mothership extended out its landing gear and touched down in a grass field not too far from Alexa's house, thus preventing the possibility of a long trek for her and Scar to embark on at long last of returning to Earth. Slowly, the boarding ramp began to extend out as Alexa and Scar stood at the entrance, waiting for it to reach the ground below them. Once it finally met the ground, the two of them walked down the ramp.

It was a clear night sky with a full moon out, a sight which Alexa was relieved to finally see once again. Alexa felt the fertile soil of Earth touch her feet in what felt like ages, a feeling of ecstasy rushing freely through her veins. She took in a deep breath of the fresh air around her; it was just like she remembered the air on Earth and it filled her with delight.

"It feels good to be home at last." Said Alexa, expressing her gratification of irrevocably returning to planet Earth.

"This place…your home?" Scar questioned her; curious about what his new home with Alexa would be like.

"Well, actually that house in the distance is my home. C'mon, Scar. We better hurry if you don't want to be spotted by anyone else." Replied Alexa, informing Scar that the two of them must reach her house as quickly as it was possible for their own feet to carry them.

Scar knew that she was right, as he did not want to be spotted by any humans who might get the wrong impression of him for simply being an extra-terrestrial life form with a creepy, otherworldly face. He was not in the mood to deal with humans who may see him as a hostile threat to their home planet.

As Scar and Alexa treaded through the grass field, a lone figure watched them from the boarding ramp's entrance. It was none other than Elder Zechaot himself. He watched as the two walked on into the moonlight, thinking to himself about his hunters' choices to take refuge on this "primitive" world.

_Scar, Alexa Woods; may Paya be with you both on this desolate planet as Life Mates._  The ramp retracted itself, the blast door closed in front of him and the mothership took off into the night sky; disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Alexa brought Scar to her house, which was moderately larger than most other houses in this region around Denver. By no means was it a mansion, but clearly Alexa had more than enough room for a Yautja hunter like Scar. He gazed at the house with oddity, taking in its strange and alien manifestation from his perspective. Scar honestly had no idea what to expect from human homes since they obviously were not a nomadic space-traversing race of hunters like the Yautja were, but he was not dissatisfied with what he was met with on Earth.

"Well, what do you think, Scar?" Asked Alexa, wondering what exactly the Yautja hunter thought of her home. Scar clicked his mandibles before responding.

"Odd…but…I like it." He spoke with honesty just like Alexa figured he would.

"Then follow me inside, Scar. You've only seen the outside; it's a whole different view indoors." Stated Alexa, signalling Scar to enter her home as she took a spare house key she kept under the doormat, unlocked the front door and opened it.

He complied and stepped inside, being greeted with the sight of furniture that to him looked equally as foreign as the exterior of the house. Everything seemed to fascinate him almost like he just marched into a whole new world; which he of course did. Alexa could tell that he was intrigued with her home, as she too found Scar's home aboard the clan's mothership to be very…enthralling to say the least. She eventually realized how alien everything seemed to appear to each other, which only made the way they discovered each other's cultures as different entities of sentient life all the more captivating with them now beginning a relationship unlike any other in the history of both their species' histories.

As much as Alexa wanted to show more of human culture to Scar, she felt like it was best for her to hit the hay for the night. After all, she was starting to feel quite tired and let out a yawn which caught the attention of Scar.

"Tired, Alexa?" He questioned her. Alexa gave a simple nod in reply.

"Yes, Scar, I'm tired. Are you coming to sleep with me?" She asked him, wondering if he was tired like she was.

"No…will keep watch…you rest…for the night." He replied, stating that he wanted to stay up and guard her life while she slept for the night. While flattered that he would demonstrate such an act, Alexa had to inform him that it wouldn't be very necessary.

"Scar, it's not dangerous here. No one is going to try and kill us, I promise. But if you're really not tired, then go ahead. I'll see you in the morning." Stated Alexa.

Scar didn't want Alexa to be negligent of her surroundings as a blooded Yautja hunter, but figured that maybe she was right about this place since she clearly knew it better than he did. This was her home after all. He took her word and went to continue on exploring this strange place that Alexa called her house and the many peculiar things he found inside as Alexa went to sleep in her bed. One thing in particular he found would strike a change in him which Alexa was indubitably to be surprised by in the morning for sure.


	9. Chapter 8 - Cruelty in Brutality

**Chapter 8: Cruelty in brutality**

Alexa slept peacefully that night, knowing that she was finally home after what nearly felt like an eternity aboard the Shadow Hunter clan's mothership. She also wondered why exactly Scar wasn't tired like her when the two of then lastly arrived at her home, as it just felt odd to her. Then Alexa remembered about how Wolf jokingly made a remark about her species sleeping so often when she was still aboard the mothership. Perhaps that was the reason why Scar was not tired, because Yautja did not sleep as frequently as human beings did.

It seemed like a plausible explanation, so that is exactly what Alexa went to bed with in her mind. Without Scar in the bed with her, this just felt strange and a bit empty as well since she had just agreed to become his one and only Life Mate. Alexa wished that she could lie beside him that night, just to see what it would feel like to sleep next to a Yautja hunter. Sadly, that would not happen this night, but there was the likelihood that it could potentially happen tomorrow. Whatever the case, Alexa continued to rest in a state of tranquility throughout the many hours of darkness which ensued.

She dreamt of a world where humanity and Yautja could live among each other in harmony, with Scar of course standing by her side. As a member of both species, it only made sense for Alexa to have these subconscious visions inside her state of slumber. Of course, the likelihood of such an agreement between these two species being forged was highly improbable. Many Yautja saw humans as lesser species only fit for their hunting game, showing that Alexa was lucky for ending up in the hands of a Yautja clan which was not plagued by xenophobia running rampant through their bloodline.

Whatever kind of bond flourished between Alexa and Scar would certainly not occur for the rest of each other's species. Nevertheless, a relationship almost like beauty and beast was now in action between Alexa and Scar. However long it would last was a mystery to them both, but one thing was undeniably certain. If Weyland-Yutani discovered the truth, this relationship between a female human and a male Yautja would cease to exist.

* * *

When morning finally arrived with the sunlight shining through her bedroom window, Alexa slowly began to rouse. The feeling of seeing sunlight once again after being in deep space for several days was enticing no doubt, reminding Alexa of her choice to stay here on her home planet of Earth. She pulled the covers off herself at sat up in her bed. Alexa had once again slept while wearing the traditional Yautja hunting attire which she was tailored with aboard the mothership since she was just too exhausted to even bother changing out of it.

Now that she was awake, Alexa decided to finally remove the clothing and go take her morning shower. The feeling of the water running down her body was yet another thing about her life on Earth that she missed, but she still had to admit that she enjoyed the Yautja bathing chamber; when she wasn't the victim of attempted murder that is. Another part of this which Alexa missed was soap. It seemed odd that a race of alien hunters roaming the Milky Way Galaxy never developed such a thing in their culture; which also explained the incongruous musk that their species carried.

It was almost indescribable, as one would have to experience it for themselves to really know what it smelled like. Alexa didn't mind the scent that Scar gave off, but she wondered if there was a possible way to hide it purely for security reasons. She knew that if she was going to provide refuge for Scar in her home now as his Life Mate, it would have to be done somehow.

After a brief moment to herself inside the shower, she turned off the water and stepped outside. Looking at herself in the mirror, Alexa decided to fix her hair since she was not fond of the dreadlocks that the Yautja of the Shadow Hunter clan braided them into. She knew this would probably take a while since the thick dreadlocks in her hair were interlaced incredibly well to perfectly match the fleshy tendrils of the Yautja. Alexa was right no doubt; as it took nearly half an hour to restore her hair to the way it used to be before her encounter with the Yautja, even with the usage of a proper comb to aid her.

Once she had finally finished with her hair, Alexa took one a second to look at her own reflection in the bathroom mirror. Her long, raven-black hair reminded her that she was indeed human; but the Mark of Honor engraved onto her cheek said so otherwise. Alexa knew that it was possible for human beings to belong to more than one culture at a time, but she would undeniably stand out from the rest since she technically belonged to alien culture of which she assumed the rest of humanity had not discovered yet. She pressed her hand against the mirror and spoke to herself.

"A human I was born, a Yautja I was blooded; now I am both."

Alexa dressed herself in a simple t shirt and track pants, as she did not have plans to return to work this day but tomorrow instead. She figured that it would be best for her to help Scar adjust to living in this unfamiliar place that was her home, since she knew that the Yautja way of life was drastically different than that of humans. After all, the chances of having Scar captured, studied and potentially tortured at the hands of Weyland-Yutani scientists was exactly what she hoped to prevent.

* * *

When she walked out into the living room, she found Scar just sitting there and it appeared like he had been doing so for nearly hours on end. This confused Alexa, wondering what exactly the Yautja hunter was doing. As she came closer within his vicinity, Alexa heard a sound that she could instantly recognize. Scar was apparently watching Alexa's TV set, flipping through various channels and analysing them all.

Alexa had to admit, it was kind of entertaining to see a Yautja hunter interacting with human technology in such a manner, especially since Scar himself seemed to be intrigued by it as well.

"Scar, I never thought you'd be interested in…television of all things human." Said Alexa, expressing just how surprised she was to see him acting in such a manner.

"But I am, Alexa." Replied Scar in his usual raspy sounding voice; but something this time around was different. The flow of his words was much more fluent, almost as if he had been practicing how to speak Alexa's language after she had gone to bed last night.

"Yautja have nothing like this, so…fascinating." It seemed like the only possible explanation according to Alexa, as she could not come up with another theory to how Scar's voice was starting to change. She just had to ask him if that really was what he was doing the night before to know the truth.

"Have you been practicing my language, Scar?" Asked Alexa. Scar nodded in response.

"Yes, Alexa. I have been watching this…tele vision since last night, mimicking what I see and hear." Replied Scar, pointing towards the TV screen displaying some show of which she was not familiar with at all, possibly one of those overly dramatic soap operas; which were never really her cup of tea when it came to entertainment anyway.

_"Take a look at yourself and what do you see, Paul?"_  The character on the screen spoke, to which Scar imitated in a somewhat flawed but easily spoken impersonation of the woman on the show. Alexa was stunned at the revelation that Scar had been watching human entertainment, copying the dialogue he heard in an effort to learn more of the language, culture and world of humanity.

It touched her heart greatly, especially since she knew it wasn't easy for him given those Yautja jaws built with crab-like mandibles. Scar knew that he would eventually have to learn to speak Alexa's language more fluently, as he understood that she would not be able to carry a translator with her at all times. He was not an expert at speaking English, but overnight Scar had achieved a considerable amount of knowledge on Alexa's mother tongue; and that was good enough for Alexa anyway.

Scar then took a moment to notice that something was different about Alexa's appearance, something in regards to her mane. He stood up and faced Alexa with a sense of inquisitiveness present in his eyes.

"Alexa, what have you done with your…tendrils?" Questioned Scar, completely thunderstruck in awe with what he saw. By no means he was upset, just faintly shocked to put it straight.

"These aren't tendrils, Scar. It's my hair, and I didn't like it braided into dreadlocks. I prefer it this way; it just feels natural to me." Replied Alexa, explaining why her fringe now looked so different than it had before.

Scar couldn't help but be intrigued by Alexa's hair. It was something that the Yautja species lacked in their biology and for some reason this enthralled Scar.

This was because it was actually quite reminiscent of animal fur; just much longer and it also seemed to carry a pleasant scent too. Taking a few steps closer to Alexa until he was within her proximity, Scar gently felt Alexa's hair with his claws.

"So soft, so delicate…It feels so extraordinary." Scar stated in regards to the feeling of running his strong Yautja claws through Alexa's human hair.

It was alien to him no doubt, but it filled him with joy nonetheless and that was all that mattered to him now. Even Alexa had to admit, she enjoyed this feeling too. Scar looked so intimidating and fierce, yet he was able to shed a tender caress with every stroke of his claws. This reminded Alexa that she saw something much greater than just a monstrous beast inside of Scar, but rather a man from another world who her heart now belonged to. She then looked up at the Yautja face standing before her.

"Do you like my hair this way, Scar?" Questioned Alexa, presuming that this was the case since just now did Scar seem to take any interest in her mane at all.

Scar nodded in response. "Yes, it makes you look so…beautiful, Alexa." Replied Scar, expressing his true allure towards the beauty of his human Life Mate.

He never once imagined perceiving the likes of her species as attractive in any sense of the word, but all of that changed ever since he met Alexa.

Scar then felt his stomach rumbling, as he was now growing hungry.

"Haven't had anything to eat yet, have you? Don't worry, Scar. I'll fix us up some breakfast." Stated Alexa.

She reckoned that since Scar figured out how to speak her language by his own, Alexa could start off this journey of introducing the Yautja hunter to the norms of humanity with food. While Alexa may not have been an expert on cooking, she at least knew how to prepare a decent number of simple dishes which she assumed Scar would find some enjoyment from.

Unfortunately, as Alexa opened up the door to the refrigerator, she was met with the ill-fated news that most of the food inside had now been spoiled. She sighed out of frustration, closed the door and faced Scar with a look of disappointment on her face as he just stood there.

_I guess that's to be expected if I'm gone from this place for a while_ , Alexa thought to herself.

Then Alexa remembered that the stuff in the freezer might still be alright, since it would be preserved longer in there anyway. Luckily, Alexa found she was able to find some breakfast sausages as well as some bacon. These seemed like decent choices since Alexa remembered that the Yautja species really enjoyed eating meat; but Alexa also recalled their fondness for exotic fruits and berries as well. She checked the fridge once again, looking more clearly and propitiously found a few fruits which appeared to be salvageable.

As Alexa cooked up a nice and simple breakfast for her and Scar, the Yautja hunter went into the living room, began to take the kill trophy skulls and weapons out of the sack and laid them out on the coffee table. These were the proud possessions of his which he chose to bring to Earth into this new life with Alexa Woods, and he planned to have them pompously displayed like the medals they were. The only thing was, Scar wasn't sure how or where to put them. He understood that this was Alexa's home and did not want to destroy it or any of her many belongings as well, but Scar wanted to preserve his Yautja heritage with these symbolic mementoes.

Alexa had previously acknowledged that she respected the bloodline of the Shadow Hunter clan despite her not being a Yautja organically, due to the fact that they treated her equally as if she was one of their own kind. Indisputably, Alexa would come to some sort of agreement regard these cherished relics of Scar's belonging, but only time would tell when exactly this would happen. He thought about the possibility of displaying them on a shelf in the very room in which he stood, but his train of thought was soon interrupted by the voice of his Life Mate.

"Scar, breakfast is ready!" Alexa called out from the kitchen, to which Scar responded rather quickly because he really was peckish for anything edible really; as long as there was some kind of meat involved with it. Fortunately, that was exactly what he could smell.

Taking a seat at the table, Scar was met with the sight of some unfamiliar looking meat and fruit on his plate. While he had to admit that the appearance of the food was a bit…foreign to him, Scar could not deny that the aroma of it was quite pleasing. He just felt the need to ask Alexa what exactly this odd looking food was that she had prepared for the both of them.

"Alexa, what is this…strange meat?" Scar questioned Alexa, as she sat down at the opposite end of the table facing him.

"Oh, that's called a sausage and that right there is bacon. Trust me, Scar, you'll like both of these. I know that I sure do." Explained Alexa, informing the Yautja hunter about this human food that was by no doubt bizarre from his point of view.

Scar then remembered when he tried the cooked meat that the clan's servants had prepared the night before Alexa returned to Earth with him; how to his amazement was actually better than he could have ever imagined after eating bloody, raw meat for almost his entire life. He knew that he should just take the word of his Life Mate and give it a try. Scar reached for the bacon on his plate first, since that was the one he found to be carrying a more pleasant scent. The crispy taste was certainly unexpected, but he welcomed it anyway. It made Scar take another bite out of enjoyment and before he knew it, it was gone. Alexa chuckled once she realized that Scar that eaten all of the bacon and didn't even seem to notice it.

"See, I told you that you'd enjoy it, Scar." She stated in a jaunty tone.

Scar found the sausages to be even stranger, as processed meat was not a novelty within Yautja culture. With almost everything new he came across in regards to human culture, Scar was met with culture shock. He knew it best to trust Alexa when it came to guidance around this unfamiliar area, and since he thoroughly enjoyed the bacon she had prepared for breakfast this morning; Scar knew that he should just try these odd, processed rolls of meat no matter how abnormal they appeared to him. Unsurprisingly, Scar found himself enjoying the sausages too. The fruit on his plate, oranges and kiwi were also to his liking as well. Once all was finished, Scar seemed satisfied enough.

"Thank you, Alexa. You're quite good at culinary skills." He said, complementing Alexa on her cooking abilities. Alexa never thought herself as truly exceptional when it came to cooking, but it made her feel gratified that someone did enjoy it; especially since this someone was a Yautja hunter.

"You're welcome, Scar." Replied Alexa as she collected the dishes and loaded up the dishwasher.

* * *

With nearly all the food in the refrigerator now tainted, Alexa knew that she would have to make a run for the supermarket to stock up for the week and also grab some dinner for her and Scar that night. She knew that this would be yet another aspect of human culture which she needed to explain to Scar since Yautja had different method regarding the gathering of food. After all, they lived by a hunting philosophy.

Alexa grabbed her wallet, slipped on her coat and began to look for Scar. She then found him in the living room, going through the mysterious alien skulls which he had laid out on the coffee table. He had one of the skulls in the palm of his hand, one that looked humanoid but still clearly belonging to some alien species currently unknown to humanity.

"Scar, I just want you to know that I'm heading out to get some food from the supermarket. I shouldn't be gone very long." Alexa spoke to the Yautja hunter, garnering his attention. Her statement utterly confused him.

"What do you mean?" He questioned Alexa, completely baffled with what she said.

"It's just how most humans today acquire their food. We don't hunt as often as we did hundreds of years ago, Scar." Explained Alexa, briefly in a manner to not drone on about the long and convoluted predicament that was human history.

She did not want to bore him with details that wouldn't be of any concern to his in this modern age.

"I see. Should I just stay here?" Scar asked her once more. Alexa nodded in response.

"Yes, Scar. Stay inside and don't answer the door if someone knocks. I can't let anyone know about your existence; especially anyone working for Weyland-Yutani." She told Scar, assuring him that she knew what was in their best interest in regards to the secrecy about their relationship.

Scar understood, as he knew that Alexa worked for this organization and the mere thought of xenophobic scientists performing experiments on him that were almost like torture rather than scientific research was enough to make him shudder.

"How long will you be gone, Alexa?" Scar asked her once more.

"I should only take a couple hours, should the supermarket not be busy or traffic the way there or back affect it. Don't worry, Scar. I promise I'll come back with something for dinner tonight." Said Alexa as she headed out the door.

Scar watched her drive off in her car from the living room window; wondering just how long it would take her to find something at this "supermarket" she mentioned and also what exactly she would prepare for dinner. To pass the time, Scar turned on the human contraption known as a television not just because he wanted to keep himself entertained before Alexa would return, but also so he could hear voices when he was alone.

* * *

After Alexa had finished grocery shopping for the week and left the supermarket with all the items she had purchased, a weird feeling was now overcoming her. She had the uneasy suspicion that someone was stalking her as she walked through the parking lot. Alexa had no idea who exactly was trying to follow her; but a strange feeling in her gut told her so.

As Alexa got closer to her parked car, the sounds of footsteps could be heard behind her. Judging from the ominous clatter filling her ears, it was not a single person but a group; or rather in this case, a gang. Upon realizing what was now standing behind her, Alexa quickly turned around and was met with the sight of a group of around 5-6 men who were all dressed like they came from the ghetto in their trashy street clothing sporting gang colours; which were apparently green. They were all looking at her with a sense of perverse desire in each of their eyes. She nearly dropped her groceries on the ground out of total shock when she realized that she was about to be ganged up on by a bunch of thugs. Alexa was well aware that not all men from the ghetto were gangsters like this, but this particular group of men clearly were.

That was when one of the men spoke up to Alexa.

"Hey baby, you lookin' fine. But what's with that crazy-ass scar though?" He questioned her in a mocking tone, clearly disrespectful towards Alexa.

She did not want to deal with any men like this, especially since these were the types of men which she hated being around since they were nothing but impolite and thuggish.

"I don't want any trouble with you guys, I just came here to get groceries and head home. Now I suggest you leave me alone, all of you." Alexa said in an effort to drive these goons away from her proxemics.

Unfortunately, the exact opposite occurred. They took her words as a direct threat towards them and with no doubt they wouldn't stop until they had achieved just what they craved.

"Looks like this bitch here is feisty, fellas!" One of the thugs said scornfully.

"Yeah, let's take her on!" Another one blurted out.

They all slowly started to inch themselves forward to Alexa, undoubtedly preparing to gang up on her. Alexa threw out her fighting stance as the tips Scar gave her in regards to self-defence began to run through her mind. Now was the time to put them into action and protect herself from these barbarous thugs using whatever meant necessary under these given conditions.

"You wanna know what this scar on my face means? It means you shouldn't fuck with me!"

As one of them lunged forward and tried to grope her breasts, Alexa performed a roundhouse kick; swiftly knocking him to the ground. He grunted in pain as he laid in a face full of his own blood on the pavement. This should've been a clear indicator to the rest of the gang members to keep their distance from Alexa, as she without a doubt knew how to defend herself from hooligans as such.

However, that is not what the thugs did at all. Another one of the men pulled out a pocketknife and charged at her, to which Alexa staged Scar's technique for disarming an opponent to make the fight more evenly balanced. As his weapon fell to the ground after Alexa kicked it out of his grasp, he was met with an elbow directly to the face. Feeling the twinge on his face with his hand, he glared at Alexa and then attempted to charge tackle her. He clamped Alexa up against a nearby brick wall and began to snicker hysterically.

"I've got her pinned down, boys!" The thug called out to his fellow hoodlums.

Alexa spat directly into the man's eye, causing him to let go of her as he had suddenly become disoriented. Once she was free of his clutch, Alexa gave him a swift punch to the face that was apparently hard enough to break the assailant's nose. Blood began pouring from his nostrils like a fire hose as he gripped it tightly in an effort to stop the bleeding.

"That bitch, she fucking broke my nose!" He shouted in a voice muffled by his own hand.

Another one of the gang members ran up to Alexa and tried to punch her in the face, to which she ducked under, causing him to hit the door of Alexa's car instead. Surprisingly, he did not break his knuckles upon impact, but he clearly hit it hard enough to inflict pain upon himself. He clenched his hand and screamed in agony before Alexa kicked him in the crotch, knocking him to the ground. Alexa was putting up quite the resistance against these gang members attempting to assault her and she assumed that any second from now they would give up and run away from her. That was not what happened at all.

She saw one of the thugs reach into his pants pocket and pull out a handgun, which he pointed directly at her while cocking it. Alexa didn't know what to do, as Scar's advice on self-defence only covered the usage of bladed weapons such as daggers and not firearms as they were not armaments commonly used within Yautja culture. Before she could react, the man pulled the trigger on the gun and shot Alexa in the stomach. She felt the radiating pain of the bullet rapidly penetrating through her flesh and collapsed on the ground whilst gritting her hand against the wound.

The gang members then surrounded Alexa with no chance of them leaving her alone anytime soon. They had some rather sinister plans with her now that she had attempted to fend them off but failed miserably.

"Now, I guess we'll show this bitch the price to pay for messin' with us." The supposed leader of the gang proclaimed to his associates, to which they all grimly sneered in unison.

It became clear to Alexa that she was going to be gang-raped by these thugs; as she knew that if they wanted to kill her they would've done so by now. She honestly would rather been killed than raped, and in her now wounded state; Alexa was now completely defenceless. Her heart began to beat rapidly as she slowly inched herself backwards until her back was pressed up against the brick wall.

"Looks like we're getting some action tonight, fellas. Lamar, I know I'm the leader here but you can take her pussy since she broke your nose." The leader spoke to one of his companions, who was apparently named Lamar.

"Sounds like a deal to me." Lamar replied, still clenching his broken nose with a bandana now coated in blood.

"Y-you bastards! I am not going to be part of your sick gang-banging! Why don't you just fucking kill me right now?!" Demanded Alexa. The leader of the gang simply cackled in a disturbing manner as a response.

"We're not going to kill you…yet." He spoke to Alexa before licking the side of her face, to which Alexa cringed. His statement apparently confused another one of his cronies within the gang.

"What do you mean, Carl? Are we going to kill her after we gang-bang her?" He questioned the leader.

"Exactly, now shut up and let's fuck this bitch!" The leader, Carl stated in reply.

Alexa could only squirm and thrash around as the gang members tried to forcefully remove the clothing from her body. She desperately called out for help that someone would step in and aid her in a dark time of need like this, but the parking lot was virtually empty; which was rather unusual considering how Alexa remembered how busy it was around this particular area before she embarked on that Antarctic expedition. No one was around to save her from these fiendish men trying to rape her, or so she had thought. Not a single one seemed to notice a strange cloaked figure approaching them from behind, armed and incredibly dangerous.

Scar had left Alexa's home because he noticed how she was gone longer than he had anticipated and feared for the worst that something tragic must have happened to his dear Life Mate. His Yautja instincts told him to go out and search for her, which was exactly what he had done, and what he found was a mob of dishonourable human males trying to forcefully have their way with her. The screams he could hear Alexa emanating were indeed full of terror and fear, and the disgraceful laughter he heard coming from the men attempting to rape her were enough to make Scar roar out of anger.

Upon hearing a strange, inhuman sounding wail from seemingly nowhere, the gang members immediately halted. They had never heard such a thing before and whatever it was brought sharp chills down each of their spines.

"What the Hell was that?" Questioned one of the gang members as they all looked around for the source of that callous screech.

"Um, Carl…" Stated Lamar, pointing towards the figure standing behind them which had now revealed itself by deactivating its cloaking ability.

They all gasped in shock at the sight of a 7-foot tall alien humanoid who despite having its face hidden away behind a bio-mask, they could all tell was beyond outraged. The man with the gun, pulled out his firearm once again and pointed it this time at the alien humanoid.

"Back off now, fool. Unless you want us to see if your ass is bulletproof!" He taunted the Yautja, threatening him to shoot him if he did not leave them alone.

Scar of course, knew not to listen to the words of such abominable males like these ones and instead opted to charge at him. He was far more experienced in combat than this human male could ever be, so therefore was able to knock him the ground before he could fire a single shot at him. Scar pushed his way through the other gang members until he was met face to face with the one who he saw trying to forcefully rip off Alexa's track pants. He grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and raised him up into the air.

"Hey, put me down! Look, man, I'm sure we can talk this out, right?" The man pleaded to Scar, practically begging to be spared.

Scar however, showed him no signs of mercy.

"You hurt Alexa," He said in his deep, raspy voice; throwing the man to the ground with a thud. "And now you must pay!" Scar unsheathed the wrist blades from one of his gauntlets and pointed them directly at him.

Alexa saw what Scar was about to do, spill the blood of one of the men who tried to rape her. Even though they were indeed horrible people, Alexa still called out to the Yautja hunter. "Scar, no!"

However, her words did not stop him.

Scar knelt down and repeatedly stabbed the man with his wrist blades, each time drawing up even more blood. He punctured his bodily organs and continued to do so as the man began to breathe his last breaths with an infuriated Yautja hunter standing before him as it tried to brutally murder him. The wrist blades tore through his entrails and with each time he forced the blades into the body, more and more of his tangled and bloody entrails were ripped out and thrown onto the parking lot's pavement to display. It was no doubt a gruesome sight that would make any one with a faint heart or mind gag or potentially even faint, but Scar did not seem bothered by it one bit. He continued to stab the lifeless carcass of the human male who tried to rape Alexa, even though he knew that it was now deceased.

The other gang members fled the scene as they all feared that the Yautja hunter would do the same thing to all of them.

Eventually, Scar stood up and stopped goring the fresh corpse. The wrist blades were now coated with red blood and chunks of his bodily organs, which were also dripping onto the pavement as well. After what Scar had done to this human male, his body was now almost unrecognizable after he ripped him to shreds and mangled his internal organs. Scar took in some deep breaths before he knelt down again and began to perform the delicate procedure of removing the skull with a dagger to claim it as his kill trophy; the only human edition is his collection of various species from across the Milky Way Galaxy. Alexa could not bear to look as the sight was just far too revolting for her to take in.

Once Scar had finished removing the skull from the corpse, he carefully inspected it before stating " **A fine kill trophy indeed** " in his native language.

He then looked over at Alexa, injured and afraid after what those vile men had done to her. While Scar knew that he had intervened right before they actually raped Alexa, he could tell that there was another injury she was suffering from. "Alexa, what did they do to you?" Scar questioned her with concern filling his speech. Alexa at first did not answer him, but simply stared at him until she finally broke the few seconds of silence between the two.

"Why…why did you have to kill him, Scar?" She besought Scar for an answer, still utterly traumatized at the sight of him eviscerating the man's body.

"He desecrated your honor by trying to rape you, Alexa. It had to be done!" Scar defended his justification for brutally slaughtering the gang member who violated and assaulted her.

He frankly believed that spilling the blood of this ignoble human male was the acceptable thing to do given the norms of Yautja culture, but without taking into account the laws of planet Earth; Scar had been sadly mistaken.

"No, you didn't have to kill him, Scar!" Alexa snapped back at Scar, furious and deeply upset that he would resort to murder in a situation like this.

She remembered how she learned that murder of another Yautja is one of the worst possible crimes one could possibly commit in Yautja culture, so Alexa thought of Scar's actions here as quite hypocritical. Scar however did not see them in the same light.

"Are you insane? He wounded you and tried to rape you, Alexa. Is that not good enough for death as his retribution?" Scar questioned once more, as he thought the idea of not punishing an immoral individual who committed such crimes as the now deceased human male was preposterous.

"Scar, listen to me. I know that would've been the right way if this was Yautja Prime or the clan's mothership; but this is Earth. Our laws are much different and what you've just done is an extremely unethical way to punish those who have committed acts that are morally wrong." Alexa explained to Scar in an effort to calm him down and hopefully get him to understand that this was yet another aspect of life on this alien world which he would have to adapt to.

Luckily, that is exactly what happened. Alexa could see the anger vanishing from Scar's eyes and instead being replaced with what she swore must've been sorrow. He now seemed like he was genuinely repentant.

"I…I did not know, Alexa. I just want to keep you safe; I don't want anyone to hurt you. I must have…lost control of my anger when I saw those men trying to harm you." Said Scar, honestly rueful in the words he spoke. He then lightly grasped Alexa's cheek with a gentle caress and looked at her in the eyes.

"Alexa, I am sorry." She seemed content with what Scar had to say for himself, as Alexa found his apologetic words to be entirely believable.

"Promise to me that this won't happen again, Scar. I can't risk the authorities, Weyland-Yutani or the government knowing about your existence if you murder another person." Alexa pleaded to Scar, hoping that he would grasp it.

"I understand, Alexa. Now where are you injured?" He questioned her in regards to the gunshot wound she had suffered earlier. Alexa pointed towards the hole in her shirt, stained with blood that led to the bullet hole on her stomach.

Before Alexa could tell Scar to get the first aid kit she kept in her car and explain what it looked like, something rather unexpected ensued.

Scar took a dagger and smoothly ran it through the flesh of his open palm, creating a small laceration that started to seep out some of his lime-green blood. Before Alexa could even react, he placed his claw on her bullet wound and a sudden tremor could be felt inside her nerves. The feeling was utterly inexplicable and quivering no doubt, something Alexa did not want to endure after already suffering enough pain today. Thankfully, it was over before she knew it.

Alexa then looked at the bullet wound on her stomach and saw something remarkable. The bullet lodged into her guts had been expelled entirely and the gash began to heal itself rapidly. She could not believe it, as it just didn't seem physically possible. However, it was and Alexa had now been healed from her injuries faster than she could have ever imagined.

"Scar, how...I'm healed? How is this even possible?" She questioned Scar, completely baffled that she was nursed back to health so quickly.

"Yautja blood possess a remarkable healing factor, Alexa. Didn't Gua'ytaan ever tell you this?" Replied Scar. Alexa then recalled that the female Yautja healer did in fact inform her about the healing factor of the Yautja species when she inquired about Scar's chances of survival.

"Oh, right. I remember know." Stated Alexa as she stood up with her strength now replenished.

"Come on, Scar. Let's go home before someone else notices you here. I bought something good for dinner tonight." Alexa said as she picked up the bags of groceries that were luckily unscathed from the chaos that arose earlier.

Scar complied as he too did not want this day to be plagued with anymore disarray. Getting into the car was a bit of a hassle considering how tall Scar was compared to Alexa, yet in spite of this he managed to cram himself in the backseat. For just about any Yautja, it was a tight space to fit into and Scar was honestly not a fan of this. He hoped that this was an aspect of human culture which he would not have to adjust towards. Once he was situated, Alexa called out to him from the driver seat.

"Comfortable back there, Scar?" She jestingly asked Scar.

"Not necessarily, it's very cramped for a Yautja." Replied Scar with a slight hint of frustration present in his voice, but he tried to keep his cool around Alexa now that he realized that he might have issues with his anger.

As the car drove out of the parking lot, neither Alexa nor Scar seemed to notice that someone had been watching everything and even recorded footage of the even on his cell phone. The secrecy of Alexa and Scar's xenophilic relationship was now at risk, as someone anonymous had discovered a conspiracy regarding extra-terrestrial life.


	10. Chapter 9 - A Savage World

**Chapter 9: A Savage World**

After witnessing Scar ferociously slaughter one of those gang members, Alexa certainly lost her appetite for dinner that evening. The unsettling image of all that blood and gore kept popping up into her mind and it made her nauseous every single time. She knew that Scar was just trying to protect her since after all, they were Life Mates now, but Alexa couldn't help but feel slightly disturbed at how Yautja would go to such extreme lengths such as murder to ensure the safety and well-being of their mates.

That along with the fact that Scar had a collection of strange alien skulls that were his kill trophies which he earned throughout his life as galactic roaming hunter also made Alexa feel bothered to some extent. She also couldn't help but be concerned about why they were there in the first place, since Alexa remembered there being such a low crime rate around where she lived before the Antarctic expedition.

At the dinner table, Alexa was practically picking at the pork chops that she whipped up for her and Scar. While Scar devoured his share of the meal, he noticed that Alexa scarcely touched it at all; indicating that something was undeniably troubling her.

"Alexa, what is the matter? You've barely eaten any of your dinner." He said to her out of trepidation.

"I…I can't get that image of you killing that guy out of my head, Scar. I know you were just trying to keep me safe from harm, but Jesus that was disgusting." Replied Alexa, displeased to admit such a thing to Scar even after he pleaded her for amnesty of this heinous act he committed.

This only confused Scar, as he could not believe that she felt this way about killing after the whole ordeal on the Antarctic island of Bouvetøya where the two first met.

"How could you be revolted by me killing him? You did the same thing to the Kiande Amedha on the pyramid, Alexa. Do you not remember that?" Questioned Scar once again.

"That was different, Scar. I had no idea what those things were; but I knew they were dangerous, could not be trusted and wanted to kill me. Those monsters, Kiande Amedha or whatever you want to call them terrified me and I was fighting for my chances of survival." Explained Alexa, trying to tell Scar that there was a drastic difference between killing those black alien monstrosities and murdering another human being.

Thankfully, Scar understood what she had to say to him and accepted it. However, he couldn't help but imagine that Alexa saw him as some kind of beast after what he had done to that man earlier that day.

"You don't perceive me as a monster like the Kiande Amedha, do you Alexa?" He questioned her, fearing for the worst that her perception of him had changed.

"No! Of course not, Scar! Other humans might see you as a brute; but I know you're far more than that. You're my Life Mate, Scar, I really do love you. Just remember your promise me that you won't kill anyone else on Earth." Alexa pleaded to the Yautja hunter, declaring that she truthfully felt that way towards him.

Scar complied with Alexa's insistence that he would not spill the blood of another human being on the soil of this planet; no matter how despicable or wicked they truly were. He knew it was a risky sacrifice to make since the Yautja race prided themselves on the hunting ideology which their culture was built upon; but this was for the sake of his Life Mate Alexa. She granted him refuge in her home, and it was only fair that Scar would respect that. Adjusting to this new lifestyle was hard for him, especially since he was domineering towards Alexa. Scar hated it when someone would try to harm his Life Mate in any possible way and a primal desire from inside his Yautja blood persuaded him to use whatever meant necessary to guarantee her safety.

This was something that Scar would need to learn how to control if he was to live under her roof behind closed doors; but he wasn't quite sure how to go about it.

"What can I do for you, Alexa?" He questioned his Life Mate, desperate to know if there was something that he could do to convince Alexa that he really wanted to stay on Earth with her and would do anything for her to prove it. She looked at Scar, knowing from that look in his reptilian eyes that he was indeed sombre with the words he spoke.

"If you want to prove to me that you really want to live on Earth with me, Scar, then I want you to sleep with me tonight." Alexa said to Scar, providing a solution for the Yautja hunter to demonstrate his true love towards this human female. Upon hearing this request from Alexa, Scar's eyes lit up.

"Y-you mean, we will mate for the first time tonight?" Scar eager asked her once again.

"No, Scar. I just want to sleep with you in the same bed. Besides, I have to return to my job tomorrow morning and I don't think I'm quite ready for any intimacy between us yet." Replied Alexa, significantly letting down Scar's expectations.

"But, we are not considered true Life Mates until we have mated together, Alexa." Stated Scar.

"I know, I know. Just wait, Scar. I promise that we will eventually have sex together and complete this Yautja ritual thing." Said Alexa, filling Scar's mind with the assurances that she would deliver exactly what she had foreboded him with as she gently placed her hand onto Scar's claws on the dinner table.

"I understand, Alexa. It can wait for now." He stated in response, disappointment filling his voice; yet he was compliant towards the will of his Life Mate for she had given him her word that the two of them would eventually bond together as one in a night of bold love-making. Scar just sincerely hoped that he wouldn't have to wait too long for this.

* * *

 

After dinner for the evening was concluded, Alexa spent a couple hours watching some television with Scar. She put on a nature documentary; which Scar actually found to be quite fascinating. The wildlife on Earth was no doubt enthralling to alien life form like Scar; especially since his people were galactic roaming hunters. He indubitably had seen the native wildlife of planets whose names Alexa had never once heard before in her entire life, she was sure of it. What Alexa was not sure of however was what the wildlife on the indigenous world of Scar's species, Yautja Prime.

She remembered that world being mentioned and how the mothership stopped to stock up on supplies during one of her sleeping cycles, causing her to miss out on whatever the home planet of the Yautja race was supposedly like. Alexa wasn't even sure if Scar had been on the home world himself since she recalled Elder Zechaot telling her that the Yautja species rarely visited Yautja Prime at all.

This only made Alexa confused, since as a human being living in the early 21st Century; the mere thought of an alien race that would hardly ever reside on the planet of their native emergence was completely baffling even to her. She thought she could ask Scar about what Yautja Prime was like, as she assumed that Scar had visited the home planet of his species at least once during his lifetime. Before she could pose him this question however, Scar spoke up first.

"This sure is an interesting world, Alexa. Even if I must live in isolation under your roof, I can still see the beauty and wonders of planet Earth through this method." The Yautja hunter spoke, commenting on the program the two of them were watching.

"Earth is our home, Scar. I honestly can't imagine living anywhere else in the Milky Way Galaxy; even if there are habitable planets suitable for human environments out there." Replied Alexa, stating that the native world of the humans would be her one and only abode.

"But what about Yautja Prime, Scar? What is the home world of the Yautja like?" She questioned Scar with a sense of intriguing curiosity. There was no response from him at first, as Scar simply closed his mandibles together almost as if there was a look of sadness upon his alien face. In fact, that was the truth.

"There is a reason why most Yautja no longer live on the home world, Alexa. Do you not know why?" Asked Scar, assuming that she knew about this dire point of Yautja history that would forever change the way of life of the Yautja species. Alexa however was entirely oblivious to this whole ordeal, as not a single soul aboard the mothership including Elder Zechoat bothered to inform her about this. She simply shook her head and said "No" in response.

Scar, almost looking teary-eyed from Alexa's point of view, began to edify her of what was possibly the greatest tragedy in the history of the Yautja species.

"There was once a time when the Yautja did not live as nomadic hunters, Alexa; far before Paya herself supposedly wrote the sacred Honor Code. Back then, Yautja were war beasts; bred to slaughter and kill on the now lost ancient battlegrounds." Scar explained, illuminating a mysterious past of the Yautja she never knew existed.

It was beyond astonishing to her no doubt, as it was nearly impossible for her to imagine the Yautja as brutes created for the sole purpose of warfare after her on personal experience with the Shadow Hunter clan. She gasped out of bewilderment upon hearing these words from Scar, as they were just that shocking to her.

"I…I don't believe it, Scar. What caused Yautja culture to change into what it is today?" She questioned Scar, eager to know what exactly happened to this ancient way of life that their kind lived by. Once again, Scar was a tad hesitant to answer but did so regardless since he knew that Alexa desired to know about this particular catastrophic event in Yautja history.

"A primitive weakness that plagues many species within the Milky Way Galaxy…war." Stated Scar in response.

While Alexa clearly knew that humanity was obviously not going to resolve wars from existing amongst their own species; she acknowledged what Scar said about war and agreed with him one hundred percent. The reality of war was brutal and even though she never experienced firsthand since Alexa was no soldier; she read about the many destructive conflicts and saw several films that while dramatized, illustrated the true horrors soldiers would experience on the battlefield. No part of her wanted to be set in those shoes and she sincerely hoped that her life would remain that way. She had hoped that humanity would learn to abandon wars since the "War to end all wars" which ended up being the First World War instead; but that thought remained as a fantasy that would forever remain unfeasible.

"My ancestors waged war against the Super Yautja," Began Scar, bringing up another term that seemed so foreign to her.

"Super Yautja?" She couldn't help but question that as well.

"They were a subspecies of Yautja; much larger and stronger than normal Yautja." Explained Scar. Alexa could only picture a Yautja that was as large and muscular as the Incredible Hulk with that explanation put into her head.

"Are any of those Super Yautja still around?" Alexa asked once more.

"No one really knows, Alexa. Many claim that they were wiped of the face of the galaxy aeons ago, but others have superstitions that a small number of their kind might still exist somewhere unknown to us." Replied Scar, adding a sense of mystery to the already cryptic nature of this brief explanation of the war that forever changed the Yautja species.

He continued to elucidate on how this war had cataclysmic consequences that still affected the Yautja species to this very day.

"The ancestors of my people fought hard against the Super Yautja, and countless of those warriors died in combat. They ultimately resorted to using nuclear weapons to annihilate the Super Yautja. That choice led them to win the war, but in addition to wiping out the entirety of the Super Yautja present on Yautja Prime; they had another price to pay. It was the decimation of our home world." Scar explained to Alexa, done so in a tone that proved he was not pleased to discuss it.

While Scar did not experience it firsthand since this occurred hundreds of thousands of years in the past far before he was born; the topics of genocide and the obliteration of an entire planet's surface bothered him greatly. Death was a topic often discussed in Yautja culture and Scar even had a slightly morbid sense of humor using, but this was when the will to kill was taken way too far and done for reasons of hatred and revulsion of another species.

"That is why we don't live on Yautja Prime, Alexa. It's a barren wasteland. We left our home planet in ruins because of a primitive weakness inherited by lesser species. Paya forbid if your species ever makes the same mistakes and forces you oomans to scavenge for survival." Said Scar, candidly wishing that Alexa's people would not make the same mistake and bring upon the devastation of Earth at the price of some petty conflict.

This world was now Scar's home with Alexa Woods in his life, always there for him. While it was depressing information for Alexa to hear no doubt, she began to realize why the Yautja species lived as galactic roaming hunters.

"So the survivors of the war turned to hunting, and that's how the Yautja adopted their hunting ideologies?" Alexa asked Scar, just to be sure with her analogy. She knew that neither one of them were historians in their own right, but Alexa figured that Scar might have some knowledge on the matter. Scar nodded in response.

"It is also why usually we avoid contact with extra-terrestrial races advanced enough to develop interstellar space travel." He adjoined in addition to his previous words.

"But, why?" Alexa questioned Scar once more. "First contacts often result in conflict, and we Yautja don't want to have to face that risk." Replied Scar, stating that there was good reason for the Yautja to isolate themselves from the affairs of advanced life forms that might have already forged their own empire beyond the stars.  _So I guess that's why they visited Earth so often_  Alexa thought to herself, understanding that the human race was considered "primitive" by galactic standards from Yautja as well as other extra-terrestrial powers she had no recollection of.

She figured that they would see human beings as a primitive civilization at this point in time due to how their world was still divided and they had yet to expand onto colonies beyond their native world.

"Humanity has believed that life on other worlds existed for quite some time; but many of us feared that there would be some kind of threat out there wanting to wipe us all out." Alexa said in response to Scar's previous remarks on how risky first contacts with other alien civilizations can be. The possibility of a war being sparked during a first contact was always a gamble, and the Yautja were just not willing to take that chance due to their aversion towards warfare.

Her statement only confused Scar, as he did not understand why human beings would bother to fixate on some terror that most likely never even existed. It just sounded…silly to a Yautja like him. He just had to ask why this was the case.

"Why would you oomans fear aliens destroying your homes if your kind hasn't even discovered us yet?" Questioned Scar, desiring the knowledge more than ever now.

"Because we humans are genetically programmed to fear the unknown, and hate whatever it is we fear." Explained Alexa, providing an answer to the Yautja hunter's inquiry. He took in that response for a brief second.

Suddenly it now made sense why Alexa would fight like her life depended on it against the Xenomorphs that infested the Antarctic pyramid but she remained merciful when it came to killing her own kind. She along with the rest of humanity had no idea what those black creatures were meant to be; but they petrified them the bone no doubt and that was simply enough to conjure their primal instincts of survival against some kind of otherworldly, inhuman behemoth. Scar tried to comprehend what this fear of the unknown was like; as many Yautja like him often did not feel intimidated by something they did not know.

He then realized that there was something on this world he did in fact fear; and that was losing Alexa. The Yautja hunter subsequently brought to mind the incident earlier that day with those awful men who tried to rape her. A new type of dread now lingered inside his mind; one that involved the safety and well-being of his Life Mate and also the potential dangers of this alien world to him. He was the stranger in a strange land here, so it only seemed natural for these kinds of emotions to be running around in his head. Perhaps there was good reason for one to fear the unknown after all, it just had to be. Living with this fear clinging onto him was something Scar would need to learn to adapt to and he was well aware of it.

This was his sacrifice to make, a noble price to pay in order to be with the one whom he truly loved. Giving up hunting down worthy prey on this planet to avoid potential persecution from the government and also the Weyland-Yutani Corporation where Alexa worked was another part of it. As much as it pained Scar to hold back this urge to hunt and slaughter any who would dare harm Alexa in any way, he knew he had to resist for his Life Mate's sake. For the remainder of the documentary, he just wrapped one of his arms around Alexa as she rested the side of her head against his shoulder. It was certainly a calm and relaxing feeling for both of them, one which they would relish while it still lasted.

* * *

 

After the documentary was over, Alexa brushed her teeth and got ready for bed. Now was the first time she would sleep beside a Yautja hunter and it gave her a warm feeling inside, knowing clear and well that Scar would be there by her side until death claimed them both. She put on her pajamas, climbed into the bed and pulled the covers overtop of her. That was when Scar walked in with his armor removed, all expect for his loincloth; exposing his ripped muscular body. He stopped at took a glance at this human bed; which to his recollection didn't look too different than the ones used in Yautja culture aboard motherships. The only thing that was strikingly distinctive was that the blankets and pillows didn't seem to be made from animal hide; consisting of a rather synthetic looking fabric instead. Alexa patted the empty side of the bed, signalling Scar to join her.

"Scar, come here and lay beside me." She spoke to her Life Mate in an alluring manner.

He complied and joined her in the bed underneath the sheets. They felt soft to him, but not quite as enjoyable as the animal hide blankets from his bed on the clan's mothership; yet Scar figured that he could cope with this as well. He rested his head on the pillow and looked over at Alexa; who was setting her alarm for the following morning.

"What are you doing, Alexa?" Scar questioned her.

"I'm heading back to work tomorrow, Scar. I've gotta be up early, but you can sleep in if you want." Replied Alexa as she finished setting the alarm on her clock for the next morning.

Scar just simply nodded in response and said "ok".

Alexa then gave him a small peck on his mandibles, which may have surprised him a little bit. He couldn't help but blush slightly, giving a lime-green tint to his face to a certain extent. Seeing Scar like this was something that Alexa just had to giggle at because his reaction to this human way of displaying affection towards one another was simply priceless.

"Goodnight, Scar." She said to him with a chuckle present in her voice before turning over and closing her eyes.

Scar thought about this for a second and decided to return the favor using a different method of showing endearment towards a significant other; this one coming from Yautja culture. He leaned over to Alexa, gently placed his forehead against her mane and whispered to her.

"Goodnight, Alexa."

His voice still sounded raspy and coarse, yet here there was genuine tenderness to be found inside the words he uttered. He then laid back down on the bed, staying close to Alexa and closed his eyes before slowly drifting off into sleep.

The two of them laid together in the bed, dreaming as the hours of the night went on; but little did Alexa know about what sinister astonishment was awaiting her at Weyland-Yutani the following morning.

It would prove to her that this wouldn't be the last time she would have to deal with the dreaded Kiande Amedha.


	11. Chapter 10 - Parasites From Another Planet

**Chapter 10: Parasites From Another World**

The morning alarm sprung Alexa awake for her job at Weyland-Yutani, yet it surprisingly did not wake Scar. As she dragged herself out of the bed after hitting the snooze button on the alarm, Alexa took a glance at the resting Yautja who was apparently still sleeping like a log; even after the blaring sound of an alarm clock that was sure to wake just about any latent human.

Alexa had always thought that Scar looked so intimidating even when he wasn't trying to be; but here he appeared rather… peaceful. The light sound of him snoring further added to the calming ambience of the bedroom in the early hours of the day; to which Alexa just smiled at. She then walked out of the room and continued with her morning routine; taking a shower, eating breakfast, brushing her teeth and getting dressed. By the time she was almost ready to head out the door, Alexa heard the heavy footsteps that she knew belonged to Scar. She turned around and saw her Life Mate still dressed the same way he went to bed with her the night before; wearing nothing but a loincloth and a traditional Yautja necklace around his neck.

"I'm off to work now, Scar. I'll be back this evening, I promise." She said in an effort to convince Scar that she was not going to abandon him in this alien world.

"Oh, and please don't try to follow me this time." Alexa added as she opened the front door and walked outside.

No part of her wanted a Yautja hunter following her into work and risking a potential security breach at the laboratory. Scar watched from the door's small window as she closed the door, got into her car and drove off to wherever the location of her job as a human could possibly be. He remembered that Alexa said that her occupation was an environmental technician for this Weyland-Yutani corporation, but he could not quite understand what exactly that meant. Was she someone who simply studied the environment of planet Earth? Scar was not sure and decided not to focus on it for very long. Once Alexa's car could no longer be seen within his line of sight, Scar walked away from the window on the front door and headed into the living room.

He glanced at the alien skull kill trophies he had still laid out on coffee table and thought to himself  _Can I really give up hunting for Alexa? She is my Life Mate and a blooded hunter, yet she resents killing her own kind; even if they truly deserve to die._

This was by no means an easy sacrifice to uphold, and even Scar himself had doubts that he would be able to keep it that way for Alexa. Nonetheless, he decided that he must do something with these alien skulls just lying there. He then looked over at a shelf in the same room that was displaying some framed photographs that obviously belonged to Alexa. Scar knew that he should not destroy these objects because he figured that Alexa must've held sentimental value towards them; so instead he opted to swap them around.

He was finally putting his kill trophies up on a proud display in his new home; regardless if Alexa approved of it or not.

* * *

On the drive to her place of work, Alexa tried desperately to get Scar off her mind. No part of her wanted the Yautja hunter to follow her into her place of work, as it would indubitably place her in jeopardy with Weyland-Yutani and also the government for hiding secrets of extra-terrestrial life. She still loved him, but Alexa could not let another human being know about his presence within her home. If she did, there was a high risk that her career in Weyland-Yutani would be over.

Trying to calm herself and take her mind off Scar, Alexa reached into one of the compartments and pulled out a compact disc containing a playlist of classical music burned onto it. Inserting the disc and letting the music play, Alexa already started to feel tranquil once again. The thoughts of Scar along with the Yautja species soon left her head as she continued to listen to the soothing sounds of the classical music composed by the greats; Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin.

However, it did not last long as Alexa soon found herself stuck behind a convoy of trucks that were apparently all headed for the same Weyland-Yutani research detachment where she worked. There seemed to be at least 8 of them, all bearing biohazard warnings on the rear that cautioned of immensely dangerous cargo being aboard; despite not revealing what exactly was being shipped inside. This left Alexa confused, wondering what could possibly be transported there in quantities as large as this and why it was so lethal to begin with.

Was there some kind of scientific breakthrough made while she was stuck in outer space with the Shadow Hunter Yautja clan? She could only wonder the possibilities of what the truth could be, for Alexa knew that she would in time know once she had reached her place of work; or at least that's what she thought. Eventually, the convoy of trucks turned away from Alexa and headed along a path that led towards the rear entrance of the building; which was where shipments would normally be brought in. Alexa took the opposite road, this one directing her to a parking lot for employees of the detachment.

Alexa had finally arrived at Weyland-Yutani's detachment based in Colorado; as the main headquarters of the Weyland-Yutani Corporation was stationed in London, England. It was a large grey building with a sleek, modern design. As she approached the front door to the building, a sudden chill was sent down her spine. All she could contemplate now was how would her co-workers react to seeing her walk through those doors once again after they had all presumed her to be deceased for nearly a whole week by now. Understandably, they would be shocked to see once again, alive and well; but Alexa needed to think of a way to cover up her sudden reappearance without revealing her knowledge of the Yautja, the Shadow Hunter clan or relationship with Scar. Exposing any of that put place her in jeopardy with the government along with Weyland-Yutani for hoarding secrets to an extra-terrestrial species. She couldn't think of anything at the moment, so Alexa decided that improvisation might be the solution to keeping these confidences under lock and key.

Taking a nervous breath of air, Alexa pushed the front door open and walked into the lobby of the Weyland-Yutani building. Once inside, faces from all over began to turn towards her, conversations came to sudden halts and brief second of uncomfortable silence filling the lobby ensued. That was soon interrupted when a man approached Alexa and started talking to her.

"Alexa Woods? We all thought you and the rest of the Antarctic expedition crew were dead! And what's with that weird scar on your face?" He spoke to her in a voice that proved he was beyond stunned at her presence, being one of many employees at Weyland-Yutani who believed her to be deceased.

Alexa had no recollection of this man, as he did not look familiar to her at all.

"Um, who are you?" She questioned the man, requesting to know who he really was.

"I'm Pablo De Rosa, Sebastian's brother. I heard that he never made it back from Bouvetøya, is that true?" The man said, revealing himself to the sibling of the Italian archeologist whom Alexa was forced to kill in a mercy killing back on the pyramid; pleading to know the truth about his now deceased brother.

She knew that she had to tell this man about the fate of his brother, but Alexa felt that she couldn't risk revealing the fact that she was the one responsible for his untimely demise.

"I…I'm sorry, but he didn't make it back." Stated Alexa, informing a bleak yet discrete answer to his forlorn inquiry.

"If he and the rest of the expedition team are dead, then how the Hell did you survive and find your way back to Colorado?" Pablo demanded to know, as he suspected that Alexa was hiding something she didn't want him to know at all.

Alexa, knowing that she would have to rely on her own hits in this given situation; quickly thought of a way to lie about finding a way back home.

"I found some old row boat and basically used that to row myself to land. It took me days to reach the Falklands Islands, where I took a plane to Brazil and another one to reach America again. Believe me, it was tiring and I don't want to talk about it anymore." Said Alexa, making it up as she went along.

Pablo De Rosa didn't seem entirely convinced with her alibi, but that was not what he was planning on discussing with her. Something far more serious was at stake and since she was the only known survivor from the Bouvetøya expedition; she needed to be informed about this vital information as soon as possible.

"Ms. Woods, do you recall what you and your team encountered on that island? Did it perhaps involve…aliens?" He asked her, surprising Alexa that he knew about the presence of alien lifeforms on the pyramid buried beneath the ice of that uninhabited island.

At this point, Alexa had no idea how she was supposed to react. She was…baffled to put it lightly.

"What?" Alexa questioned him, utterly confused in her tone of voice.

"We found out that there was some kind of ancient monastery hidden under the ice of Bouvetøya, and most of it was apparently destroyed. However, there was one chamber that remained intact and inside we came across these strange looking eggs. They didn't look like anything we had ever seen on Earth before; so we shipped those eggs to various Weyland-Yutani research stations across the globe to be analyzed." Explained Pablo; while another unknown figure approached them both from behind.

"We received a fair amount of those alien eggs, but they are clearly nothing like we would have ever thought." The voice spoke, this time belonging to someone whom Alexa knew and recognized instantly by the sound of his speech.

Turning around, Alexa was met with none other than the founder and now the recently appointed CEO of the Weyland-Yutani Corporation; Peter Weyland himself.

"Mr. Weyland! I swear, I can explain everything about my sudden disappearance." Alexa said to her new boss, planning to tell him the exact same fabricated truth which she had informed Pablo about.

He raised his hand, assuring Alexa that she had no need to inform him; as there were more important matters to discuss for the time being.

"That won't be necessary, Ms. Woods; we have much more urgent business to deal with right now." Replied Mr. Weyland. Alexa was mystified by his declaration, as it was incredibly vague in whatever he was trying to notify her about.

"What do you mean, Mr. Weyland?" She questioned him, unsure with what he meant in his statement.

"Follow me and you shall see." Said Mr. Weyland as he walked down a corridor with Alexa and Pablo following him from behind.

Both of them had no idea what to expect but knew it was best to follow their new boss towards wherever it was he was leading them towards; which just so happened to be the conference room of the building.

* * *

Inside the conference room was a TV VCR combo long with two unlabelled tapes lying in front. He grabbed one of the tapes and held it up before addressing the two employees in the room with him.

"I should warn you both, what you're about to see is…highly disturbing." Stated Mr. Weyland as he inserted the tape into the VCR.

Alexa could only wonder what exactly the new CEO of Weyland-Yutani was going to present them, and she feared that it could only be unsettling from the sound of his voice. She began to recall a memory from the Yautja mothership; when that strange alien parasite burst its way out of Scar's chest while he was still recovering in the ship's infirmary. For some reason, that was all Alexa could think about at the moment; for she was frightened that the footage captured on the tape would essentially the same thing only with a human being the victim instead of a Yautja.

Pablo on the other hand didn't know what to expect, so he didn't have the same kind of shivers being sent through his veins like Alexa was.

An image appeared on the television screen, displaying security footage from one of the labs at the detachment. Inside the lab was a bunch of alien eggs; the exact same ones which had been found on the pyramid of Bouvetøya. There seemed to be at least 6 of them present in the laboratory, as that was the number visible on the screen.

Suddenly, one of the eggs began to open; not by cracking open its shell like the way most animals born from eggs on Earth would, but rather opened itself almost like it was some kind of odd flower. Alexa and Pablo leaned in closer to the screen to see better, as this was a sight that neither of them wanted to miss even it was supposedly unnerving according to the words of their CEO. A worker from inside the lab approached the one egg that had now began to unravel itself, flashlight in hand and ready to inspect whatever strange alien life form could be housed inside.

Unfortunately for the lab worker, he was about to meet a painful and gory fate. Some kind of small yet monstrous creature flayed out against the worker and latched itself the lab worker's face. Alexa and Pablo both gasped in shock as they saw the truly frightening security footage that showcased the fatality of one poor, luckless soul. The man thrashed around like he was being strangled by the alien creature; which in fact he was and the muffled sounds of him screaming could also be heard. His co-workers present in the lad with him did nothing to help him; as they too were shocked by the horrific spectacle right before their eyes. After about 10 whole seconds of the man thrashing around while screaming at the top of his lungs behind the alien creature wrapped around his face and neck; he collapsed on the ground, now unconscious.

At his point during the footage, Pablo looked away and put a hand up to his face; almost as if he had just thrown up in his mouth. Alexa however, continued to watch as the man's co-workers began to cut the alien creature off their colleague's face before dragging him away off screen. Mr. Weyland then ejected the tape from the TV VCR combo and placed it back on the table. Pablo then looked back at him, clearly not happy to have witnessed that particular video that his boss had presented them with.

"What the fuck was that?! Did you seriously just make us watch some kind of snuff film?!" He snapped at Mr. Weyland.

At first, Mr. Weyland did not say anything in response. He simply just took the other tape and inserted it into the VCR; to which he said

"If you're looking for a snuff film, then this is what you should see next".

Pressing play, a different image was shown on the screen this time. It was still security footage, but this time it was coming from the cafeteria. The footage showed a group of people sitting at table, most likely eating their lunch and they were clearly recognizable as the lab workers from the previous tape. Everything seemed to be normal at first, just a bunch of fellow colleagues engaging in some friendly banter.

Unfortunately, things quickly took a turn for the worst when the man who fell victim to that horrifying alien creature in the previous tape without warning started to act like he was violently ill. He collapsed on the ground once more, but this time he was still conscious and was lying on his back instead. The man began to scream in pain and agony before something burst out of his chest; splattering blood and guts everywhere. Numerous people could be seen running away and screaming out of terror from the grotesque sight they just witnessed; like any normal person would do in a scenario as such.

The creature that emerged from the man's chest looked almost like some kind of serpent, coated with human blood and its skin appeared to be a light shade of yellow. It hissed at the air around itself before slithering out of the barely alive man left alone on the ground to die in excruciating agony while his exposed and ruptured enteral organs bled out. At this moment, Mr. Weyland ejected the tape and put it back on the table. Alexa looked over and saw Pablo standing near the garbage bin, hurling from the incongruous and highly disturbing imagery presented before him. He was clearly not taking it in very well with a weak stomach as such.

"Are you alright, Mr. De Rosa?" Mr. Weyland asked his employee, concerned for his well-being.

Pablo looked back at his boss, completely dumbfounded that he would even dare say something like that after showing him those unnerving and gruesome security tapes.

"No, I'm pretty fucking far from alright. What made you think that showing me footage of some kind of alien parasite killing one of our lab workers was a good idea in the first place? I mean, have you honestly lost your goddamn mind?!" He spoke sharply towards Mr. Weyland. Pablo then looked over towards Alexa before continuing on his rant.

"And how the hell did you manage to watch that shit without feeling nauseous?" He questioned Alexa out disbelief for her reaction towards the footage as well.

Alexa just said nothing in response, as she knew it was best to keep quiet about anything in regards to the Yautja species and how she witnessed an alien parasite just like the one shown in the security tape rupturing Scar's internal organs and bursting out his chest. She knew what to expect, but that didn't prevent her from being sickened by the video; at least not to Pablo's extent that was. With that first impression, Alexa figured that Pablo De Rosa must've been a very sensitive man.

"Now, do you two understand why I showed this security footage to you both?" Mr. Weyland questioned the two of them in a strict, yet somewhat concerning tone of voice. They were both silent for a moment, not sure how to answer a question as such. Was it because this said security footage revealed some dark, sinister secret only recently discovered by humanity? It was quite possible.

"I showed you this security footage because it is a turning point for the human race as we know it. We are not the only ones in the Milky Way Galaxy." Pablo no doubt seemed astounded at this shocking revelation; while Alexa on the other hand found herself saying  _no shit, Sherlock_  in her head. She clearly knew this after her experience with the Yautja; but the strange species their kind referred as Kiande Amedha still remained a mystery to her. Alexa didn't know what to make of those horrifying creatures, other than the fact that they were the very manifestation of her worst nightmares wrapped into a monstrous behemoth of the night. She didn't even know if they were truly sapient like the Yautja or if those monsters really were just animals. Whatever the hidden truth was, it was indisputably going to be revealed soon enough; or at least that's what Alexa imagined.

"W-what do you mean, sir?" Pablo asked his boss out of being utterly flabbergasted.

"Those creatures clearly aren't from Earth, they must be extra-terrestrial beings no doubt." Replied Mr. Weyland.

"But what exactly are those things?" Alexa questioned as well, for she knew that she wouldn't be able to refer those black behemoths as Kiande Amedha among the likes of other humans. There had to be another name, one which the humans would use now that they had discovered the existence of these parasites from some other unknown world.

"Well, we don't have a name for these creatures just yet; but most of our scientific experts are tossing around the term of 'Xenomorph' as a possible title for these aliens." Mr. Weyland responded.

That name, Xenomorph. Something about it just made Alexa feel uncomfortable. Maybe it was because she was now going to associate that name with the parasites she fought against on the pyramid, or perhaps it was because of how that word on its own sounded so…unnerving. Pablo De Rosa on the other hand found himself scratching his head at this term.

"Xenomorph, sir? What is that supposed to mean?" He questioned Mr. Weyland once more.

"According to our lab workers, these alien creatures are parasites that are spawned from a host after being attacked from whatever that thing was that emerged from the egg. They say that whatever species the host is, the spawned behemoth will assimilate some of the host's DNA and essentially morph itself into an imitation of that particular species. That's why they're considering Xenomorph as the potential name for these alien creatures." Explained Mr. Weyland, trying his best to summarize what information the research teams working in the laboratories informed him about.

It was official. Xenomorph was now the true name of Alexa's worst nightmares and the mere thought that Weyland-Yutani could possibly have them contained within this very detachment here in Colorado undoubtedly made her feel on edge. What if there was a containment breach and they all got loose? This thought found itself running through Alexa's mind and it gave her goosebumps. There was also a possibility that if those Xenomorphs somehow managed to break free of their containment cells and began running amok throughout Colorado, some Yautja hunters might even try to intervene. It seemed likely since Alexa knew that the Yautja considered the Xenomorphs or rather the Kiande Amedha in their tongues to be the ultimate prey. Wherever there were Xenomorphs infesting, it was a guarantee that some Yautja would try to hunt them down.

"Are there any of these Xenomorphs here, Mr. Weyland?" Alexa asked her boss out of fretful curiosity. She figured that there might be some correlation between that convoy of trucks she saw arriving at the research detachment while on her drive to work that morning.

"As a matter of fact, yes. Ms. Woods, we've received word from Weyland-Yutani's head office in London that we are to study these Xenomorphs and keep them contained within this very facility. If you noticed a series of trucks heading there way here this morning that would be why." Replied Mr. Weyland, bringing an explanation to some previous events this morning to which Alexa found to be most confusing.

This however did not make her feel any less comfortable, knowing that those monstrous alien behemoths were here at her job. She sincerely hoped that she wouldn't have to work with Xenomorphs, especially inside the labs after viewing the graphic and disturbing security footage.

"So now that the two of you know about the alien parasites we encountered, we are going to need volunteers to help with the lab teams." Stated Mr. Weyland.

Pablo and Alexa simply said nothing in response, just looking at each other with fear clearly present in all of their eyes. Neither one of them wanted to step close to one of those Xenomorphs, dreading that a creature of such would maul any human being to death if one got too close within its proxemics. Mr. Weyland could tell that they were truly petrified of what he had just said, so he decided to elaborate on it.

"Don't worry you two, I'm not asking you to work inside the labs containing the Xenomorphs. What I am requesting you to do is to analyze samples that the lab teams extract from the subjects instead." Mr. Weyland elucidated on the matter at hand.

With this news from their new boss, Pablo and Alexa realized that they would now be co-workers; examining samples of flesh, blood and other such bodily constituents of the Xenomorph species. They were clearly not fond of this sudden shift in their duties at Weyland-Yutani, but admittingly were grateful that they would not have to step within 10 feet of one of those black alien behemoths.

"So…when are we starting, sir?" Asked Alexa, eager to know when she and Pablo would get to work in the laboratory.

"You'll be starting right now, there are some samples of Xenomorph blood that we would like you two to analyze immediately." Replied Mr. Weyland. "We'll get right on it." Stated Pablo.

"Oh, and just for a heads up, that Xenomorph blood is extremely dangerous." Said Mr. Weyland, informing them both with a warning about what exactly they were getting their hands into. This confused Pablo, as he was not quite sure what Mr. Weyland meant by this.

"You mean, their blood is toxic?" Inquired Pablo.

"I wouldn't exactly call the blood of the Xenos toxic, Mr. De Rosa. More like, acidic and highly corrosive. Be wary of it" Replied Mr. Weyland. A look of alarm came across Pablo's face upon hearing this disturbing reality about the biology of the Xenomorphs.

"Where the hell did these aliens come from?" Questioned Pablo out of incredulity.

"I thought I told you earlier that we found them-" began Mr. Weyland in response, only to be interrupted by Pablo again.

"That was a rhetorical question." He retorted to his boss.

"So if you found out that the blood of these aliens is highly corrosive, you want us to study it and find out why it's like this?" Alexa queried.

Mr. Weyland nodded. "Precisely. We are going to need to develop specialized research tools that are resistant to the Xenomorphs' blood, so we're counting on the both of you." He affirmed in reply to Alexa's question.

It seemed like a plausible reason to have someone analyze the samples of Xenomorph blood, but Mr. Weyland's words still didn't explain why he didn't just have the lab team study them instead of utilizing Alexa and Pablo. This was something that both of them could not ignore.

"Hold on…why are we being tasked with this instead of the lab teams? Wouldn't it make more sense to have them handle this, since they're the ones working with these Xenomorphs?" Questioned Pablo.

"Under normal circumstances, that would be the case. However, we require additional help inside the labs and the work that I request you both to do is relatively harmless when compared to the work that the lab teams will put up with; should you not be reckless with those Xenomorph blood samples that is." Replied Mr. Weyland.

"Now if you excuse me, I have business elsewhere to attend." He said before exiting the conference room, leaving Alexa and Pablo behind.

Knowing that the two of them needed to get to work in the labs immediately, they both looked at each other, understanding what must be done.

* * *

On their way to the laboratory where they would be working with samples taken from the captive Xenomorphs, inhumane screams and hisses could be faintly heard in the distance. Chills were sent down both of their spines as Alexa and Pablo continued traversing down a corridor together; which ultimately led them to a large metal door guarded by two men. These men were dressed in dark blue combat uniforms with the Weyland-Yutani logo printed onto their body armor and they were both armed with MP5 submachine guns. As Alexa and Pablo approached them, one of the men reached out an open hand in a signal which meant halt.

"I'm afraid we cannot allow you to access beyond this point. It's extremely dangerous in there." Stated the guard, providing a clear warning to Alexa and Pablo about the menaces that lurked right behind that large metal door. This confused them both, as they thought they had been given clearance to work in the labs with an urgent task to examine blood samples from the captive Xenomorphs.

"I-I thought we were granted clearance to study Xenomorph blood samples from Mr. Weyland himself. What the hell is going on here?" Questioned Pablo, outright dumbfounded at what the guard had to say. The guard then lowered his hand, as he understood the confusion taking place at the moment.

"The labs are on the other side; so you two must've taken a wrong turn." He said in response to the puzzled employees.

Alexa and Pablo suddenly realized that this was the new containment branch where the Xenomorphs would be held captive under constant surveillance. This was clearly not the right place for either one of them to be; especially since the images of the Xenomorphs she encountered on the Antarctic pyramid started to pop back into her mind once more. She felt like she was on the edge of having a panic attack if they didn't turn around and head towards the labs in the opposite direction almost immediately.

"We'll be on our way then." Alexa blurted out before nervously walking away as Pablo just followed her, confused with her actions.

Even though he just met her this very morning, something didn't seem right with Alexa Woods at all; yet Pablo himself couldn't quite grasp the why about it. Maybe it had something to do with her surviving whatever kind of ruckus sparked on the island of Bouvetøya where the rest of the expedition team vanished. It seemed like a probable explanation to Alexa's unusual behavior in the presence of these alien parasites, it just had to be.

* * *

Inside the laboratory, Alexa placed a sample of Xenomorph blood under a microscope and began to examine it with a precise amplification of 1000x. The microscopic structure shown looked nothing like human blood at all, or even any life form found on Earth for that matter. Instead of showing circular red discs like a human's blood cells, Alexa saw what appeared to be millions of cells in the shapes of hexagons. To say that the sight of this bizarre cellular structure of an alien's blood was shocking for Alexa to see would be more than just an understatement.

Even though those alien parasites terrified her, she still had to admit that looking at a microscopic image of their blood was immensely fascinating. Perhaps there would be a way that she could learn to overcome this fear of the Xenomorphs…or maybe there wasn't. Alexa had no idea what to make of it and her train of thought was soon interrupted by the voice of her new co-worker.

"The structure of these Xenomorphs, they really are alien. I've never seen anything like them before." Stated Pablo as he gazed into his microscope.

"They're alien alright, but those Xenomorphs are monsters to me." Replied Alexa, stating that she had a contradictory opinion towards the alien creatures.

Assuming that she was referring to her experience with those aliens firsthand on the island of Bouvetøya; Pablo had to agree with her. The security tapes were merely enough to convince him that these aliens were a threat to be reckoned with, parasites that could be spawned from just about any human being unlucky enough to cross paths with one of those facehuggers.

"Yeah, these Xenomorphs really are monsters, Alexa. But we still need to know what they really are for Weyland-Yutani." Pablo said as he looked away from his microscope, affirming that he was indeed determined to uncover the truth about the mysterious and cryptic nature of the Xenomorph species.

As much as Alexa reviled these alien vermin, even she wanted to know what these aliens really were. The Yautja she meat referred the Xenomorphs; or rather Kiande Amedha as the "Ultimate Prey" but not a single one bothered to tell her what those black behemoths really were. It was almost as if even those Yautja hunters didn't actually know their ultimate prey as much as they themselves had claimed. But who was Alexa to judge the intellect of the Yautja? She knew that they were intelligent beings no doubt, yet that didn't stop her from having speculations if whether or not this was true.

Knowing that she would half to ask Scar once she returned home from work, Alexa figured that she might as well get Pablo's view on the Xenomorphs since after all; he was going to be her new co-worker for god knows how long at this research detachment.

"Any theories about these Xenomorphs, Pablo?" Questioned Alexa.

"Honestly Alexa, there's not much we can really say about them right now. I mean, we only have so much evidence at the moment and we can't even decipher if these Xenomorphs are truly sapient creatures like human beings or if they're really just animals." Pablo said in response to Alexa's inquiry. From that moment, Alexa knew that her new goal for work was to uncover the reality of these Xenomorph creatures. Maybe in turn, she would better understand her fear for these alien monstrosities; or perhaps the fear of the unknown to a greater extent.

After an examination of the molecular structure of the Xenomorph's blood, Alexa and Pablo began to run the next experiment to test the acidity levels present in the samples they received. They recalled Mr. Weyland warning them about how Xenomorph blood itself was supposedly highly corrosive and decided that they must assess it to see if that bold claim was indeed true. This of course, prompted a danger in the workplace as the chemical properties of Xenomorph blood technically labeled it as hazardous waste. Nonetheless, they continued on with this immensely risky experiment as this was another aspect of the Xenomorph blood samples they would need to test for.

Utilizing several materials of varying densities, Alexa and Pablo began to test how acidic and corrosive the alien blood really was. Unsurprisingly, the Xenomorph blood melted with ease through just about every non-corrosive-resistant substance the two of them tested in the experiment. A small drop of the Xenomorph blood however found its way to the floor of the laboratory and melted through it.

"Well Mr. Weyland wasn't kidding when he told us that their blood was highly corrosive." Stated Pablo in a joking manner. Alexa however did not find this even remotely humorous at all. She just continued on with her lab work as if nothing had happened.

"Just cover it up with something and hope that they don't find out about that hole in the floor you just created." Alexa said, not wanting to get in trouble for Pablo's careless activity in the lab.

Pablo then noticed that something just didn't seem right with Alexa; even though the two of them had only known each other for such a short amount of time. Not entirely sure what it was though, he felt the need to ask her about it. He felt obligated to do so since they were lab partners in this new job after all.

"Hey Alexa, is everything alright? You seem…" Began Pablo, only to then stop when he realized that he just didn't have the right word to say.

"I seem what?" Questioned Alexa in response with a tint of annoyance present in her voice. "I don't know…uncomfortable about something, that's for sure." Replied Pablo, not quite certain on what it really was that found itself crawling underneath Alexa's skin. She knew that he could not know about Scar or her experience with these Yautja hunters, so she quickly thought of something else to say in an attempt to cover it up.

"Well of course I'm uncomfortable. No offence, but I don't enjoy working with people who I barely even know and for your information, Pablo De Rosa; I am still traumatized by what those Xenomorphs did to the rest of the expedition team on Bouvetøya! Do you understand that?" Alexa explained irritably towards her co-worker.

She wanted him to come to terms with a fabricated truth; which admittedly wasn't entirely false. Alexa still felt on edge in the presence of a Xenomorph, although she was able to cope with examining samples of these alien parasites in a concealed laboratory. The traumatization she was experiencing was rather mild since Alexa knew that Xenomorphs could be killed using the right tactics and weapons; but nonetheless she still felt like her heart would stop beating if she ever came within 5 feet of one of those black behemoths. Fortunately, Pablo understood her words very clearly and shook his head in response.

"Ok, I'm…sorry, Alexa. I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable. We're co-workers now, and Weyland-Yutani is depending on us to find out why the blood of these Xenomorphs is so corrosive. I don't to make you feel distressed or anything like that while we're working on this together." Replied Pablo, trying to convince Alexa that he grasped the reason for her problems and hoped to aid her as a fellow collaborator in the laboratory.

Alexa just smiled in response to his words.

"You seem very genuine and honest. Pablo, maybe in time I'll come to respect you as my colleague…maybe even as friend eventually." She stated, giving Pablo a sense of hope of a clean relationship between them both. He however did not find Alexa attractive because of how she just wasn't his type and the Yautja Mark of Honor; while unknown to him was a bit off-putting due to just how odd or rather alien its appearance was.

Nevertheless, Pablo was still in the hopes that he could eventually develop a friendship with her. Of course, only time would tell if that would indeed happen or not. The two of them continued to examine the Xenomorph blood samples before moving onto some bits of Xenomorph flesh that the lab teams had provided them with. Both of them were surprised to discover that the flesh of a Xenomorph actually felt somewhat like leather, as Alexa had always pictured them as very slimy like some kind of bipedal alien worm creatures ever since she first came into contact with them. This further added a question about how exactly their flesh and eternal organs were resistant to the acidic properties that their blood possessed.

With every small detail that Alexa and Pablo uncovered about this deadly yet surprisingly intriguing alien species, Alexa found herself combating her greatest fear in this world; or rather galaxy in this case. As a blooded hunter by Yautja law, Alexa might finally start to see more of that in her own reflection once she feared of the Xenomorphs no more.

Or maybe, that would not be the case at all.


	12. Chapter 11 - Bloodbath of Lusia:

**Chapter 11: Bloodbath of Lusia**

Even after being exiled from his clan and labelled as a Bad Blood for the attempted murder of another blooded Yautja hunter, Cage still refused to accept the fact that Alexa Woods had earned the Mark of Honor by blood. His already zealous resentment towards her species had grown exponentially in such a short time span, and it showed no signs of ever backing down.

In fact, Cage only seemed to begrudge humanity even more because of Alexa. In his mind, all he was ever trying to do was maintain the purity and wholesomeness of the sacred Yautja Honor Code. To him, she was nothing but a false hunter; one who was nothing but unworthy and contemptible to bear such a sanctified symbol on her flesh. His brethren among the Shadow Hunter clan of course thought otherwise; especially Scar and the Elders. They openly embraced her like she was some kind of prophet, and it the mere thought of any Yautja bloodline doing so to a "low-life" creature like a human being made Cage sick to his stomach. He couldn't put up with Alexa and so he attempted to kill her. Scar of course intervened and spared her life, which ultimately led to his trial where he was quickly found to be guilty of such a treacherous crime within Yautja culture.

Cage tried to tell his fellow clan members that Alexa was not a true warrior and that she deserved to die as pariah in vain. Not a single soul aboard the clan's mothership bothered to listen to his words and they banished him with no weapons, hunting equipment or personal belongings; just the clothing on his body and that was all. Without a doubt, Cage felt betrayed by his own bloodline; them all turning their backs on him when he refused to acknowledge this outsider, this human female as an official member of the clan. Now Cage was alone in this vast Milky Way Galaxy, left to fend for himself. He even felt like Paya herself had abandoned him too, leaving him hopeless as well.

Never once did Cage wish he was killed by that human being a century ago, but now that all changed. This was a deep hole he dug himself into, his own personal hell, and a burden of torment to forever remind him of the grave mistakes he made in his past with no promises for redemption. Or at least, that it is was Cage himself initially believed.

* * *

Cage found himself taking refuge on a world inhabited by a race of blue-skinned humanoids, to which he always kept his distance from. They were a technologically advanced species no doubt and he could tell that this was not their home planet of origin, but rather a colony of some sort. Yautja affairs typically avoided contact with alien races that were technologically advanced enough to develop interstellar travel and establish their own empires across the face of the Milky Way Galaxy, but Cage had no choice. His ship crash landed on the planet and for all he knew, the inhabitants had already discovered the crash site.

He had to find himself weapons and tools to use for hunting, but that was easier said than done. Cage didn't want to alert these people about his presence on their planet because he knew that they wouldn't take kindly to Yautja like him; especially ones who had been cast out of their bloodline for inexcusable crimes against the sacred Yautja Honor Code. To them, he would be nothing more than a hostile intruding on their property.

Using his survival skills, he hid in a cave and used that cavern as his shelter and created a small fire with some sticks and stones. Cage also created a small fire on edge of a nearby hill in attempt to lure unsuspecting his prey towards him. As the fire burned with a small tint of smoke rising above into the gloomy night sky, he took cover behind a rock and activated his cloaking mechanism. Once he was concealed and looked over his cover, he could faintly see two figures approaching.

They were the inhabitants of this planet no doubt. Cage found these inhabitants to be odd, as for some strange reason he only saw females; or at least he thought they were females. Every single one of them seemed to have a feminine appearance and voice. He honestly could not quite tell but he recalled hearing stories from other Yautja hunters that there apparently existed a race of all female blue-skinned humanoids somewhere in the Milky Way. Was this the species they had been referring to in those rumours?

Cage could only speculate, but he was not on this planet to contemplate their true nature. He was stranded out here and needed to survive somehow. Cage took another glance at the two advancing individuals in the distance. They were armed with what he could only assume were firearms of some sort. Most Yautja did not like to use firearms and instead opted to use either melee or bladed weapons instead; but Cage was an exception. His favourite Yautja weapon was the spear gun and although he knew that these weapons would be vastly different than the type of fare that he was used to; Cage didn't care as long as he had some kind of tool to make use of while he went into hiding on this alien world.

He continued to watch his prey like a hawk, waiting until the right moment to lash out and attack.

The two blue humanoids advanced forward at slow and steady pace through the valley, their assault rifles fully loaded with ammunition and ready to kill anything within sight. There was a silence between the two of them, until one of them broke it with a warning in the form of a whisper.

"Hold on, this might be a trap." She advised her companion, who promptly agreed with her.

"You don't think that we might be dealing with…you know, one of those galactic roaming hunters? What are they called again? I can't remember." The other blue humanoid questioned, clearly stating that she knew what Cage's species were but couldn't remember the name for some odd reason.

"Yautja?" She asked in response.

"Ah, yes. Don't you think that one of these Yautja found themselves on Lusia somehow?" The blue humanoid questioned once more. Her companion nodded in response.

"It seems likely. Intelligence discovers what appears to be a crashed escape pod in Sipina Plains and the damn thing is empty? Something about this just doesn't seem right at all, Saral." Stated the other blue humanoid, this one was apparently named Saral.

"So even if there is a Yautja present on this colony somewhere, do you think he might go on some kind of murderous rampage?" She asked her companion yet again.

"Look, I'm no expert on these Yautja; but I've heard that these bastards hunt for a living and take their victims' skulls as trophies. So I'm guessing that you're probably right, Muni." Saral replied with a slightly worried tone in her voice.

"Wow, that is dark. Sounds just something out of mythical folklore or something like that." Muni responded, as she too had become anxious about the mere thought of a Yautja hunter going on a gruesome killing spree on the grounds of this colony world known as Lusia by its inhabitants. Cage heard all of this and thought about raiding a nearby town he saw in the distance from when he stood upon the hill. These would be actions only a Bad Blood Yautja would ever dare carry out; but Cage no longer wanted to serve the jurisdictions of the sacred Honor Code no more. He had tried to maintain its chastity and failed when his brothers and sisters refused to listen to him.

Cage thought to himself  _What good is the Honor Code if everything turns_   _around and I am betrayed by my own clan? Why should I obey those rules anymore?_   _I defended the Honor Code when I tried to murder that false hunter Alexa Woods, but instead of being hailed as a hero, they labelled me as a traitor. I guess now I'll have a taste of what the Bad Blood life must be like, killing without boundaries and killing just for fun._  This morbid thought stuck in his mind and clinged there like a parasite. There was now no chance of it ever going away.

In an unexpected turn of events, a device on Saral's arm went off; which must've been some sort of communicator for all Cage knew. It had some kind of orange coloured holographic display, clearly a piece of alien technology that Cage himself was not familiar with at all. He could faintly hear the voice of what he could only assume was another one of those blue humanoids contacting them from another and possibly undisclosed location; most likely a superior officer.

"Saral, Muni. We've confirmed that the ship that crash-landed in Sipina Plains is indeed a Yautja escape pod. Be on the lookout for him and stay alert at all costs." The low voice of an unknown person spoke, ordering these two soldiers to remain cautious no matter what.

Cage knew that this would not be an easy task given the fact that he had no weapons to make use of in a given situation; but as luck would have it, he had a trick up his sleeves. It was no honourable way for a Yautja hunter to fight during a hunt, but Cage just didn't care.

"Are you absolutely sure that he could be hostile?" Muni questioned her superior over the communication device, concerned about the objectivity regarding this supposed Yautja hunter.

"There's a possibility that he could be, and also that he might not as well. Honestly, I have no clue." The voice on the communicator replied with a strangely ambiguous answer. Both of the blue humanoids and even Cage himself were all puzzled by this response.

"W-what do you mean, ma'am?" Saral questioned her superior over the communication device.

"I recently came across several Extranet articles that are apparently discussing how an Enforcer Yautja teamed up with a Justicar to take down a rogue Yautja on a killing spree in Illium." Replied the voice on the communicator. This caught them all by surprise, as Enforcer Yautja often preferred to work alone and apparently the same was with these so-called "Justicars"; which Cage could only assume were this culture's equivalent of implementation of the law at the highest order.

"You're shitting me?" Muni said out of incredulity.

"Are you sure that those Extranet articles came from reliable sources? There's a lot of fake new there in case you didn't know." Saral stated, clearly suspicious about the validity of these hypothetical Extranet articles that her superior informed her of.

"Look, I know it may be hard to believe, but my point is that we need to stay alert. This Yautja could be anywhere on Lusia and we have no idea if he's hostile or not. Both of you continue on your patrol and remain cautious act all times. Am I understood?" The anonymous voice on the communicator spoke, ordering her troops to keep an open eye at all costs; to which they complied.

"Yes Ma'am!" They both shouted in unison before ending the transmission and resuming their patrol of the area.

Cage knew that it was now time for him to execute his plan and bring these 2 wandering soldiers to their untimely graves. Still concealed by his active camouflage, he quietly made his way to the opposite side of the hill where he had previously placed 2 stones. He picked up one of them and threw it to his right as a distraction. When Saral heard the sound of something hard hitting the ground, she immediately turned around and pointed her assault rifle at…nothing. There was no living creature to seen, not even the shimmy of a cloaking device.

Being a commando for her specie's armed forces, Saral was undeniably suspicious that something was indeed within their vicinity; even if she could not see it. She knew that there were many ways of masking oneself from the naked eye, so there had to be someone or rather something watching her. With every second passing by, Saral began to feel her heartbeat rising out of nervousness and growing increasingly paranoid. Was there really a killer Yautja hunter loose in this very area of the planet and was he about to end Saral's life right where she stood? Could these be the last moments of her life? These thoughts began to race around her mind, without notice of a cloaked figure approaching her from behind with a sharp, jagged stone in hand.

As Cage stood behind the fearful blue humanoid with a serrated rock raised above her head, he deactivated his active camouflage and clicked his mandibles. This caused her to turn around and look the vengeful Yautja hunter right in his merciless reptilian eyes. Her eyes widened and finger reached for the trigger on her assault rifle, but she was not quick enough to survive. Cage lashed out and began to brutally clobber her head, knocking the blue humanoid to the ground as she screamed in pain and agony at the top of her lungs. The Yautja hunter knew that this was a morbid sin to commit; but he was now nothing but apathetic towards anything resembling honor.

It wasn't long before the tortured cries from his prey came to a close, as Cage had cracked open the blue humanoid's skull and destroyed her brain; killing her in the process. Her fresh, lifeless corpse lay in the dark of the night and the full moon's gaze as Cage found…pleasure in this unlawful killing of a species weaker than this his own. He wanted more, picking up the strange looking firearm that his prey carried. It was an alien weapon to him no doubt, but Cage knew that he would have to make do with it for now. After all, another one of those alien soldiers still remained within this remote area of Lusia.

As she heard the afflicted squeals coming from her squad mate, Muni began to shudder in her own skin. For all she knew, their superior officer had been correct about a killer Yautja being on the loose and it had chosen Saral as its next victim. She swiftly ran over to Saral's location, only to be met with a gruesome sight to behold. Her squad mate and life-long friend was now deceased, clearly beaten to death as she could see that her skull had been cracked open and brain matter had been exposed; leaking out onto the soil beneath them. But what really horrified her was the blemished Yautja hunter armed with Saral's assault rifle, facing away from her. She desperately tried to cover her mouth to prevent herself from crying out at this dreadful vision in her field of sight, however it did not work.

A frantic yelp escaped her lips, which in turn caught the attention of the Yautja hunter. He quickly turned around and pointed the assault rifle at the blue humanoid, pulling the trigger. The sound of a gunshot filled the air around them as she collapsed onto her knees, clenching a bullet hole wound on her stomach as some of her purple-coloured blood began to pour out. As Cage slowly began to approach her, the blue humanoid looked up at him with a look of despair in her eyes; practically begging to be spared the same appalling fate as Saral did.

"Please…Don't kill me." She besought to the monstrous creature standing before her in a voice so full of misery.

Yet pleading for her life or even praying to the Goddess of her people was not enough to save her now thwarted life. Cage reached for an object that was encased in a holster on one of her boots, which just so happened to be a dagger; a nice shinny blade that looked sharp enough to kill. He inspected the weapon with a morbid grin from his mandibles, a sinister thought entering his mind as he did so.

" **I have no mercy for you, tarei hsan** " Cage taunted the blue humanoid as he placed the blade of the dagger up against her throat and slit it across, causing even more of her purple coloured blood to spill out.

The lifeless body of this blue humanoid known as Muni collapsed onto the ground as Cage stared at the product of his wicked deeds. To Cage's surprise, he did not feel any guilt at all for killing these two blue humanoids in such dishonourable and grotty fashion. Instead, the Yautja hunter found ecstasy in what he had done. At this moment, Cage knew for sure that he was no longer going to bear the title of Bad Blood not as a mark of shame, but rather one of baleful pride.

Cage dragged the corpses into the cavern where he had found shelter and began to mutilate their bodies once he had brought them inside. He was hungry for some fresh raw meat and didn't care if these blue humanoids were sapient beings like him. The temptation was just far too strong for Cage to resist; especially after he had viciously murdered them and his hunger was ever growing by the minute.

He feasted on their flesh, savouring the juicy taste of fresh blood from their organic tissue with every handful he devoured. Any normal individual would no doubt be sickened of Cage's malicious actions, revolted that one could dare resort to such a low level of inhumanity and cold-heartedness. But Cage was of course, no longer a normal Yautja. His soul was tainted beyond belief and with these morbid crimes he had committed; Cage had awoken the monster buried deep inside himself and it was quickly starting to consume his mind. This Bad Blood lifestyle was his new path to tread upon, and Cage found psychotic thrills with the killings of these blue humanoid soldiers.

With every bit of bloody meat he consumed, Cage kept on striding further and further away from the saint he once believed himself to be. His past self was no more; void of compassion for the sacred Honor Code as his heart had grown dark. Cage continued to gorge on the meat of these blue humanoids until he had his share and his belly was full. By now, he had nearly eaten half of the flesh off of one of the corpses.

After consuming that much of the blue humanoid's deceased body, Cage began to feel tired and decided that it was best for him to get some rest for the night. He lay down on the ground and closed his eyes as he slowly began to lose his consciousness and fall into a deep sleep.

* * *

Many hours later, Cage was awoken by the sound of what he could only assume was a large explosion of some kind. The sudden loud clamour was enough to make him jolt right up and grab the dagger he had claimed as his own after slaughtering those blue humanoids. He began to slowly stride out of the cave with the dagger held firmly in his hand until he came across a spectacle in the night sky that caught him by total surprise.

What Cage saw in the night sky was what appeared to be a Yautja clan mothership; but he knew it did not belong to the Shadow Hunter clan. The ship itself looked like it had been severely damaged and welded back together using spare parts from starships from other regions in space and possibly other species, the exact opposite of what most other Yautja clan motherships appeared. This confused Cage at first, as he had not seen any mothership that looked so ragged and scruffy from its exterior before. Once he saw the blaze of a fire beneath the spacecraft, Cage realized what was so unusual about this particular Yautja mothership. It didn't belong to any normal clan, but instead Bad Bloods.

Cage thought about this choice to make; to go up to these Bad Bloods, request to join their band of deserters and live this Bad Blood lifestyle he so dearly craved with such perverse desire. It was what Cage truly craved after his bloodline abandoned him in favour of a false hunter in his eyes. However, there was also the possibility that these Bad Bloods might just end up killing him to in addition to the inhabitants of this world. There was a village where that fire was burning away, indubitably caused by the Bad Bloods in their rampage. Cage knew that he had to take that risk of death at the hands of these deadly criminals if he was to reach out for this illicit new lifestyle of a true Bad Blood.

He was more likely to be massacred then welcomed in with an embrace, but Cage knew what must be done for the sake of his immoral future. The further he walked towards the nearby village; the louder anguished screams and the sounds of gunshots could be heard along with the intoxicating scent of fire. Cage continued to tread upon this weary path and there was no chance in Hell that he was ever going back. It was now or never.

* * *

The village was engulfed in flames as people ran for their lives from the murderous Bad Bloods as they purged this small mountain settlement of its essence. They could not outrun the beats however, and many were quick to fall victim to ruthless and harsh carnages. Dismembered in various brutal ways, all of which done in immensely gory fashion; the streets and walls of this small mountain village were painted with the purple coloured blood of the blue humanoids that inhabited this world.

One of the Bad Blood Yautja used shuriken to slice through the body of one with ease, dicing her up into bloody chunks of gore. Another one fired a shot from a plasma caster, which landed clean on the face of his prey; burning through it with little resistance.

While some of the inhabitants put up a fight against the invading Bad Bloods, their endurance was not nearly strong enough to withstand the vigorous potency which these merciless Yautja criminals held. Three of them stood in formation, firing away with their assault rifles only to then become ensnared in a net fired from a Yautja net gun.

Screams of pain and agony were all that could escape their lungs as the net began to constrict around them, bringing forth an excruciating death for all three of them. The Bad Blood Yautja who fired at these soldiers could only laugh at their insufferable demise, as committing murders like these brought him much sinister joy at heart.

Another one of the blue humanoids drew out a bladed weapon, a fancy looking sword and pointed it directly at one of the Bad Blood Yautja. She struck a fighting dose with eagerness to engage this Bad Blood in a duel, to which the Yautja responded by unsheathing a scimitar from his gauntlet. Charging at the Bad Blood with all her might, the blue humanoid was met with the edge of the blade severing through the top half of her skull with a clean slice; exposing a now damaged brain.

Bloodshed was all that could be seen and heard throughout the village until it all went silent when the last blue humanoid alive found herself cornered by each of the heartless Bad Bloods. All she could feel now were the tremors in her nerves as the fear rapidly overcame her hopeless mortal soul.

"Please…spare me. I beg of you!" She pleaded to the Bad Bloods, desperate to be shown mercy.

Unfortunately, her cries of sorrow were nowhere near enough to persuade the Bad Blood Yautja. The leader of the group, a Yautja who was noticeably much larger and muscular than all the others approached the blue humanoid. He then snatched her by the throat with a grasp tight enough to suffocate her.

" **Pitiful creatures like you shall receive no mercy from the Forsaken Blades, Asari.** " The Bad Blood taunted the poor, defenceless blue humanoid as he effortlessly crushed her neck with only his bare claws.

Cage walked through the now withered village, buildings all around him up in flames and mangled bodies laid out on the streets. It was almost like he had just found himself wandering into an active warzone. Suddenly, he stopped and remained frozen in a trace as he saw a nearly inconceivable sight within his gaze.

What stood before him was a clan of Bad Bloods, but sandwiched in the middle of these fugitives was…a Super Yautja with a body of one of those deceased blue humanoids held tightly in his grasp.

The Super Yautja then threw the fresh corpse to the ground as he slowly began to approach Cage, sending chills down Cage's spine in the process.

" **Who are you? You dare oppose the Forsaken Blades or not?** " A grim voice coming from the Super Yautja spoke to Cage, which was apparently enough to terrify even hunters like him.

" **I am not here to fight you. Also, I thought that all of the Super Yautja had died out millenniums ago. So why are you still here?** " Replied Cage, questioning the Super Yautja's very existence.

" **You have thought wrong then, foolish one. The Super Yautja still live and they lurk in the shadows, where your people would never dare enter.** " The Super Yautja stated in response with a vague and highly unclear reasoning to why this sub-species of Yautja was still around.

Ignoring that last bit, Cage decided to introduce himself to these Bad Bloods.

" **Well then. My name is Cage and I've recently become a Bad Blood and exiled from my clan. Might I request that I join your little band here?** " He requested.

The Super Yautja thought about it for a second. He figured that Cage was trying to seek either revenge against his clan or redemption; which were most often the true case behind disgraced Yautja joining clans of other Bad Bloods.

" **That will depend, Cage. What exactly did you do to your clan that was vile enough to have you exiled from your clan?** " The Super Yautja questioned Cage once again.

" **If I told you the truth, you probably wouldn't believe me.** " Replied Cage.

The Super Yautja just snickered in response. " **Oh please, I've heard that one before from some of my own companions. Bruiser here says that he became a Bad Blood after he caught his Life Mate cheating on him with another hunter; and he slaughtered them both. Screech was met with excruciating torment for most of his life as a blooded hunter because of how short he was, so he took it all out on his clan and murdered them all. So Cage, what's your alibi?** " He questioned Cage yet again. Cage knew that it was now time for him to come clean and admit his true reason for becoming labelled as a Bad Blood by his former peers; even if these Bad Bloods were to not take too kindly towards it.

" **I had no intention of betraying the sacred Honor Code; in fact I was trying to maintain its purity by killing a false hunter. However, the rest of my clan thought otherwise and refused to listen to own justifications towards this attempted murder. They sentenced me into exile, and now here we are.** " Explained Cage, revealing the truth behind his fall from grace.

This caught the Bad Bloods by surprise, as they did not expect this from Cage; but furthermore were quite mystified by his statement of a "false hunter". They had no idea what he meant and neither did the Super Yautja, who found it to be particularly curious.

" **And what exactly was this supposed 'false hunter' you tried to kill, Cage?** " The Super Yautja inquisitively asked Cage once again.

" **A blooded ooman female named Alexa Woods.** " Replied Cage.

The Bad Bloods grew silent, no doubt sceptical of Cage's words as it just didn't seem feasible for one of that particular species to become blooded under Yautja law.

" **You cannot be serious. A blooded female ooman? That's impossible!** " The Super Yautja sneered, finding Cage's reasoning to be utterly laughable. Even the other Bad Bloods found this to be quite humorous and joined in scoffing along with their leader.

" **I'm telling you, it was true. My clan even welcomed her into the bloodline like she was one of their own. I found it disgusting that they would do such a thing, so I took the matter into my own claws and decided to kill her.** " Cage tried to convince the Super Yautja and his fellow Bad Blood associates that this was indeed the reality of his banishment from his clan.

" **And how exactly did you fail to kill this false hunter even if she was just a puny little ooman, Cage?** " The Super Yautja demanded to know just how he could miss the mark with a low-life creature like a human being.

" **That would be the fault of another Yautja, one who I swear had gone soft for this putrid female ooman. His name is Scar and he intervened while I was about to spill Alexa's blood in our clan's bathing chamber. She was completely defenceless and it would've made an easy kill, but that foolish Youngblood had to ruin everything for me. I want him, that rancid female ooman and the rest of their clan dead!** " Cage defended his reckoning to why he failed to kill this "false hunter" in the first place. He sincerely hoped that these Bad Bloods and the Super Yautja who led them would be considerate now and confidently allow him to join their little band of renegades.

Thankfully, that is exactly what happened. The Super Yautja clicked his mandibles before replying to Cage.

" **You seem like a skilled hunter who has been deceived by the vulnerabilities of Yautja culture, just like the rest of us. Perhaps a place within the Forsaken Blades clan will bring you redemption just as you seek, Cage. You can call me Ripper.** " He spoke to the newfound Bad Blood, bringing a sense of optimism towards Cage while also introducing himself.

" **It's not just redemption that I seek, Ripper. I also want revenge.** " Replied Cage.

" **I understand that feeling. We arrived here on Lusia to massacre these rotten Asari after one of their kind brought our fallen brother Venom to his bitter demise.** " Stated Ripper, revealing the true name of this planet and the species of blue humanoids who inhabited this world.

" **If the feeling among us all is mutual, then I suggest that we track down the mothership of my old clan and kill them all.** " Said Cage, eager to retaliate against his bloodline for their abandonment of reason and betrayal against him. The other Bad Bloods all began to chuckle in a sinister manner, as they agreed with Cage's choice to spark a massacre most vile.

" **Now Cage, what was the name of your bloodline before you were sentenced to exile?** " Questioned Ripper.

Cage knew that this was vital information needed to give away if he was to seek vengeance upon his former bloodline and earn respect from the Bad Bloods of the Forsaken Blades simultaneously, so this bargain was a clear no-brainer.

" **The Shadow Hunter clan.** " Replied Cage.

" **Very well then. We must return to our mothership and leave at once before more of those Asari Commandos show up and try to attack us.** " Stated Ripper, as he did not want to deal with the inhabitants of this world any longer. Cage however; found himself pondering what exactly these blue humanoids known as Asari really were.

" **What are these Asari creatures anyway?** " Questioned Cage. He especially found them odd because of how all of them appeared to be female, but couldn't quite understand why, even after he murdered two of them and feasted upon their flesh.

" **They're no better than oomans I can tell you that much; equally Pyode Amedha in my eyes.** " Replied Ripper, who clearly thought less of any sapient species that didn't possess Yautja blood.

He often enjoyed killing any helpless creature that was reckless enough to cross paths with a rare Super Yautja like himself; as like many Bad Bloods running rampant through the Milky Way Galaxy, they killed only for the sake of fulfilling a sickening pleasure. Cage agreed with Ripper's words on both the humans and Asari, as he had killed members of both these species before. They may have been odd in the eyes of a Bad Blood Yautja, but they were still desirable game for illegal acts of hunting.

Nonetheless, Cage knew exactly about the fate of the bloodline that once cherished his actions during the hunts only for them to turn their backs on him when he stepped out of line in the name of righteousness.

_None of the Shadow Hunter clan will be safe from me and these Bad Bloods. We'll kill them all…and I will personally kill Scar and Alexa when I get the chance._ Cage morbidly thought to himself as he followed the other members of the Forsaken Blades into their now landing mothership.

The beginning of Cage's new lifestyle as a Bad Blood had just begun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s note: Hey guys, Cosmic Sword11 here with the next chapter for Predator and Prey; this one crossing over into Mass Effect territory. I know this is kind of stretching it in terms of what counts as a crossover, but I feel that if only one chapter in a long fanfic applies to being a crossover; then I believe that the entirety of the fanfic really isn’t one. It just wouldn’t make sense since a crossover the way I see it needs to have a balanced amount of material from whatever fandoms are crossing over each other. Nonetheless, I still hope that you enjoyed this chapter and saw the connections I made with my one-shot fanfic Galactic Threat – Tales and Beyond: The Bad Blood of Illium. To my readers on Wattpad and AO3, I will post that story on those sites eventually, possibly even the day after I am currently posting this. So anyway, please remember to R&R if regardless if you are reading this on FFN, Wattpad or AO3 as I have started uploading there now too. That would be most appreciated. So with all that said and done, this is Cosmic Sword11 signing off.


	13. Chapter 12 - Night Hunting

**Chapter 12: Night Hunting**

As Alexa and her new co-worker Pablo continued to operate in the laboratory with the Xenomorph samples provided by the other lab teams for the past several days; Scar found himself making an effort to preserve his Yautja culture and heritage while living under Alexa's roof. He was not willing to let his traditional way of life to die out just for the sake of having this blooded human female as his dear Life Mate. Starting off with tiny adjustments to the interior of Alexa's home such as placing his kill trophies up on display and making room inside her wardrobe for his weapons and apparel; Alexa didn't seem to take notice right away. In fact, Scar couldn't even tell if Alexa really saw the slight differences to her home or if she just rubbed them off without saying a word to the Yautja hunter.

This made Scar feel…content to say the least. He figured that Alexa did accept it since after all; he was a being from another planet whose species had a vastly different culture than that of humans. Unfortunately, there was an impediment that was blocking Scar from truly conserving his cultural traditions with his role as a Yautja hunter. That was of course, the ability to hunt.

After that incident Alexa had with those gang members several days ago, Scar made a promise to her that he would not kill another human being as long as he lived on the soil of planet Earth. This was a sacrifice that Scar thought he could handle at first, but soon came to realise that it was just not possible for him to be a true Yautja hunter if he wasn't allowed to continue hunting prey; no matter how evil or vile those individuals truly were. That was; unless Scar was to keep on hunting like any normal Yautja hunter and conceal it all from Alexa.

It seemed like the only option for Scar to take since he knew that throwing in the towel with his old Yautja lifestyle was just not feasible. He truly wanted Alexa's love and hopefully even to mate with her eventually, but he did not want to betray her trust. Scar came to the conclusion that if he could continue hunting behind Alexa's back and buoyantly prevent her from ever discovering his infidelity towards her faith, he could remain a true Yautja hunter by blood.

All he could do now was wait until the right moment to sneak out and kill for Paya's sake.

* * *

At the dinner table that night, Alexa kept on discussing about her work in the labs with Pablo De Rosa and how the Kiande Amedha; or rather Xenomorphs as she started to refer them as were quite a peculiar species to say the least. Scar paid attention to every word she said because even he had to admit, the alien parasites that his people deemed "the ultimate prey" were conceivably one of the most inexplicable species to ever exist within the Milky Way Galaxy.

"So Weyland-Yutani has given those parasites the name of Xenomorph because of some biological process in their genetic code where they essentially assimilate the DNA of whatever species the host is and the creature that is spawned from the host is more or less an imitation of that given species. It's a kind of fitting name when you think about, Scar." Alexa said as she cut through the medium-rare steak on her plate.

Scar continued to gorge his evening meal as he listened to what Alexa had to say, but found himself puzzled as to why these human scientists and researchers would bother creating a name for the ultimate prey when the Yautja had already done so themselves thousands of years prior.

"Why not just call them Kiande Amedha like us?" Questioned Scar as he took another bite of his meat.

"Well for starters, that name is kind hard to pronounce for us humans. We just felt like this name was suitable given what little information we had in regards to them. Also, humanity doesn't know about the existence of your people…or at least not yet. I'm sure you understand, Scar." Replied Alexa.

Sure enough, Scar was able to comprehend the thinking behind the rationalization of these humans creating their own name for the Kiande Amedha. Even so, he still believed that the name Kiande Amedha was much superior in his opinion as a Yautja hunter. This was one of many thoughts he just kept to himself and never spoke to Alexa about.

"Is there anything your people know about the Xenomorphs that we should know too, Scar?" Alexa questioned once more. She figured that since the Yautja had been exploring space for quite some time and had known the Xenomorphs for thousands of years; there had to be something about the black behemoths which humanity had yet to uncover.

"We know where they came from; as well as who created those parasites." Replied Scar, bringing a sense of wonder to Alexa. Did the Yautja really know what or who forged the very manifestation of her worst nightmare?

"What do you mean?" She didn't believe it at all, but figured that she might as well listen to what Scar had to say about them.

"The Kiande Amedha or 'Xenomorphs' as you oomans like to call them, they were bred by a now extinct race known as the Engineers." Explained Scar in response.

That name, Engineers. Such an eccentric name for a species that no longer existed within the Milky Way Galaxy. It was what Alexa thought of them when she heard Scar bring them up. Being the ever so curious human being that she was, Alexa just couldn't resist further inquiring the Yautja hunter on these so called "Engineers" and why they were all deceased.

"Scar, who were these Engineers you speak of?" Questioned Alexa. Scar clicked his mandibles before responding.

"Well, the name of their species wasn't actually Engineers. The true name of their race was Mala'kak; but we Yautja just referred them as Engineers." Scar clarified the real appellation of this extinct race.

"That is because they possessed technology powerful enough to cloud their judgement and therefore proclaim themselves as Gods. They had the power to terraform any world they wished. With that kind of force, one could easily become veiled under their own arrogance; and pay the price with death." Illuminated Scar, expanding on what he had said before. This statement only confused Alexa, as she did not quite get what Scar was trying to explain.

"Are you saying that…These Engineers or whatever their real species name was; they tried to play God and faced extinction as a result of that?" Asked Alexa, under the suspicion that this was what Scar was describing. Scar nodded in response as he took another bit of steak and began to consume it.

"Exactly, Alexa. With so many worlds blooming with life thanks to their efforts, the Engineers were determined to create the ultimate organism; a perfect species to help them rule the galaxy for aeons to come. Unfortunately, that very creature they created was also of the most dangerous beasts within the Milky Way Galaxy. They were unable to fight off the hordes of the monsters they had unleashed and thus the empire they held among the stars hundreds of thousands years ago crumbled as their race was soon driven to extinction." Explained Scar, detailing the calamitous fate of the Engineers.

This brought both fear and sadness to Alexa's heart, knowing that her worst nightmare was also responsible for the downfall of a galactic empire and the genocide of another noble and technologically advanced species.

"Wow…that's terrible." Said Alexa in response with a slight distraught tone to her voice.

By no means did this feel pleasant, it actually made her feel pity towards the Engineers; despite Scar informing her that they all died out because of an ill-fated attempt to play God. This opened up her mind to another question about the Engineers before they disappeared from the face of the galaxy, never to be seen again but not forgotten amongst the minds of the Yautja.

"Scar, did the Yautja ever meet the Engineers before they died out?" Questioned Alexa yet again.

"Actually, yes. We tried to help them from the wrath of the dreaded Kiande Amedha, but we failed. Ever since our failed efforts to save the Engineers from facing extinction, most Yautja have avoided contact technologically advanced species to prevent the risk of circumstances as such from ever happening again." Scar elucidated.

Alexa honestly didn't know what to say or think at the moment. How could such a technologically progressive race possibly create the most deadly and horrific creature in the entirety of the Milky Way Galaxy? It was truly a dreadful thought for Alexa, knowing that these so-called Engineers were all wiped out because of their own irrationality and false perception of themselves as divine beings.

She found herself questioning, could the same fate lie for humanity before they had even explored beyond their own solar system? The Xenomorphs still terrified her to the bone and she felt like there was a significant chance that this phobia would soon transcend into reality, bringing upon the annihilation of the human species. With this anxiety lingering in her mind, Alexa began to feel…worried. Her head hung low and she stopped eating her dinner. Scar took notice of Alexa's sudden shift in mood, knowing that he must do what he could in order to ease her current state of nervousness.

"Alexa…" He said as he gently placed his claw on top of her hand on the table. Alexa looked up and saw Scar's face; that look in his eyes made her know that he was there for her in times like this, since after all he was her Life Mate.

"I understand that you are scared of the Kiande Amedha, but I doubt that your people will suffer the same bitter fate as the Engineers did aeons ago. You have nothing to worry about." Stated Scar in an effort to calm her.

Despite Scar's heartfelt attempt to bring her tranquility, Alexa did not feel relaxed. This was because of something else unknown to Scar.

"No, Scar. You don't understand. With those Xenomorphs held captive at my place of work, there's the risk of a possible containment breach. If they break loose, God knows what kind of havoc they would cause." Replied Alexa, fearful that the rest of humanity may suffer the same hellish ordeal which found itself imbedded deep under her skin.

If that grim apparition was bound to come true just as she had dreaded of, then perhaps the human race wouldn't live to discover the wonders of the Milky Way Galaxy up close and personal. Scar of course, thought otherwise; as he knew about the destructive wrath of the Xenomorphs and how the Yautja hunters would go for attempting to contain an outbreak, preventing those parasites from infecting another world.

"If they escape, we will fight them and win, Alexa. We Yautja have hunted the Kiande Amedha for hundreds of thousands of years. Do not worry anymore." Stated Scar once more in a reassuring manner to bring serenity to his Life Mate's mind.

Not wanting to spark an argument for the evening, Alexa decided to just agree with what Scar had to say to her. After all, she knew that Scar's people were quite familiar with how to fight against a race of parasitic aliens who bled highly corrosive acid. What still bothered her was the thought of how human soldiers would attempt to fend them off; most likely to deficient results. Nonetheless, Alexa put that thought behind her for the time being as she did not want to feel disturbed and petrified for the remainder of the evening.

"Let's…just not talk about those Xenomorphs for the rest of the night, ok Scar?" Alexa said, trying to convince the Yautja hunter to cease any further discussion about these alien parasites for the time being.

Scar of course, submitted to her request as the two of them just sat at the table and finished their meal in silence. Not a word was spoken until both of their plates had been cleared.

After dinner had been concluded, Alexa went into the living room, broke out a classic English novel and began to read it. Scar of course could not read any written human language; as he learned to speak this dialect by mimicking the sounds in his own voice. He became curious about this piece of literature Alexa was reading and questioned her about it.

"What are you reading, Alexa?" Scar asked his Life Mate with interest as he entered the living room. Alexa looked up from the book in her hands.

"War of the Worlds, it's an old book that was written about 100 years ago." She replied with composure present in her speech.

With a title like that, Scar figured that this must be one of those supposed tales he had heard Alexa mention about humanity fearing the existence of extra-terrestrial life forms and that one day they would invade their home planet. He still believed that this was a silly thing to be afraid of, regardless if this fear could be made all the more real with the Kiande Amedha present on Earth under the captivity Weyland-Yutani.

"I guess that story is about your people's fear of aliens, Alexa?" The Yautja hunter asked her once again.

"Yes, and this was written long before we even developed space travel technology. We knew that there were other worlds out there, but we had no idea what life on other planets would be like. H.G Wells predicted in this novel what he believed to be Martians from the planet Mars." Explained Alexa, trying to add some historical context to the given book in order to help Scar understand why it was even published in the first place. However, this only made Scar more confused in regards to the theory of life on the world that human beings liked to refer as Mars.

"Isn't that world uninhabitable without the use of terraforming technology?" He questioned Alexa under the impression that this specific planet was nothing more than a frozen desert to its core.

"Well, yes, but at the time we had no idea. In fact, some people actually believed that Mars would be some kind of lush oasis." Alexa replied again, stating that some predictions of the universe within humanity's past were vastly misleading from the soon-to-be discovered truth.

Scar sat down on the sofa next to Alexa. She began to wonder what exactly the universe really was; if the reality of whatever lay beyond the void was anything like the human race could've possibly fathomed. Scar's species had undeniably seen most of what the Milky Way Galaxy had to offer, and with that previous tale that told of the Engineers' untimely decimation; Alexa speculated that perhaps he had some other information to tell her about the true side of the galaxy which humanity had yet to uncover. He just had to, it only made sense.

"Scar, what is the galaxy really like out there?" She asked her Life Mate with much inquisitiveness, to which Scar simply cocked his head to side in confusion. He found her question to be so…ambiguous and unclear.

"What do you mean, Alexa?" Scar replied out of mystification.

"I mean…what is really out there, Scar? What kind of alien civilizations exist within the Milky Way Galaxy and would those aliens come in peace? Or, would they wage war upon us instead?" Alexa inquired yet again, hoping for an earnest answer from the Yautja hunter.

"Are you sure you wish to know this, Alexa? I feel that your species are not yet ready to know the truth out there." Replied Scar, warning her that it may or may not be as pleasant or extravagant as she would've hoped. Alexa of course, thought otherwise. While she knew that she could never abandon her home, family and life on Earth; she still wished to know about the reality of the Milky Way Galaxy now that she had become accustomed to living with an alien hunter under her roof.

"Humanity may not be ready, Scar…but I know that I am." She replied with a sense of enthusiasm in her speech. Scar could tell that she really was eager to know the truth, so without any further hesitation, he opted to finally tell her.

"Well, as you know, we Yautja keep ourselves distant from other advanced species like us. However, we know about the existence of many extra-terrestrial races out there. I have heard about a supposedly all-female race known as Asari; though I've never seen one myself. They are but one of several species who are part of some alliance." Explained Scar, giving details that while may be vague, helped give Alexa a glimpse of the galaxy out there that she and the rest of humanity at this point in time would not witness.

As to be expected, she was fascinated with this new information and desired to know even more. So Scar continued to elucidate on this enigmatic universe which Alexa might never get to see in the rest of her lifetime. This continued for a few hours, which Alexa found herself carefully listening to everything that Scar spoke to her. He told her about other alien civilizations he had heard of, ranging from a militaristic avian-like species known as Turians to a race of tall blue humanoids that were allegedly fully entwined with the nature of their native world. It now seemed there were so many nations across the stars, both technologically advanced and tremendously primitive.

That's because it was true, as in a vast embodiment of life such as the Milky Way Galaxy; it only made sense.

Eventually, Alexa decided that it was time for her and Scar to rest for the night. After all, Alexa still had work the following morning and knew that it was best for her to be well-rested if she was going to continue operating in the laboratory with her co-worker Pablo De Rosa on the Xenomorph samples. Scar knew that his species were not used to such short sleep cycles as human beings, yet he tried to adapt to it for Alexa's sake. Sleeping in the same bed as her was a delight he had to admit and knowing that it also brought bliss to his Life Mate motivated him to do so. However, it would not be the same tonight, as indefinite to Alexa's mind. While the two of them climbed into bed, Scar thought how he would go about slipping through the cracks and hunting behind her back. It had to be done while she was asleep no doubt, that was for certain. Alexa took notice of Scar, not quite sure what was with him. She felt the need to ask the Yautja hunter what was the matter with him.

"Are you alright, Scar?" Questioned Alexa, concerned for the well-being of her Life Mate.

"Oh, it's nothing Alexa." Replied Scar, lying and doing his best to conceal the deceitful truth in his words. Believing the dishonesty to be truth, Alexa didn't think twice about it and just hit the hay for the night.

"Goodnight, Scar." She leaned in and reached for a kiss.

While Scar came to realize that kissing was a human form of showing affection towards one another, he himself had not become accustomed to it yet. The mandibles of a Yautja like him were clearly not built for this, but Scar still tried his best to adjust to this odd sensation. It did not work out well the first time around, as he accidentally scratched Alexa's face with one of his sharp teeth. But just like most things in life, he knew that practice would make perfect and began to repeat it until he finally got it right. This time around was not his lucky accomplishment, as while he was fulfilled with the ecstasy of love from Alexa as their tongues met each other, he could still feel the coarseness of his mandibles against Alexa's face.

"You're getting the hang of it, Scar, but you still need to be careful with those mandibles and sharp teeth of yours." Stated Alexa, impressed with Scar's efforts to learn a human act. She then laid back on her pillow as she shut off the lamp by the bedside. Scar then waited for her to fall asleep; but while doing so he began to question his own actions.

_Should I really be doing this? Betraying Alexa's trust just so I can preserve the most important aspect of my Yautja culture?_  He thought to himself.

It now seemed like such a tenacious thing to do considering how much Scar truly loved Alexa.

_No, who am I kidding? This must be done. If Alexa can never know about my secret hunting, all will be fine._  Scar thought once more, deciding that he was now obliged to take this path no matter what.

He was doing this not just for himself, but also for his bloodline and Paya herself; as what would a true Yautja be without the ability to hunt?

He quietly and slowly inched himself out of the bed and tiptoed his way out of the bedroom, hoping that he wouldn't wake Alexa in the process. If that here to happen, Scar sincerely hoped that Alexa would just assume that he was making his way to the bathroom and just fall back asleep. Luckily for him, Scar did not wake her up. As his Life Mate continued to doze off into the night, Scar began to strap on his hunting armor and take out his weapons; doing so as quietly as he possibly could in an effort to not rouse Alexa.

He decided that for this particular hunt, his weapon of choice would be the wrist blades in his gauntlet. Simple yet immensely effective, Scar knew that it was indeed a well-chosen selection for his weapon assortment this night. With all of his gear equipment for a night's worth of hunting behind Alexa's back, Scar began to climb out of a window and activate his active camouflage once he was outside the walls of his Life Mate's house.

As he treaded through the grass and the moonlight, Scar began to wonder who exactly he should target. The Kiande Amedha were obviously out of the question due to them being held in a disclosed location under lock and key with countless armed guards safeguarding the alien parasites. With that set in mind, humans were the only other option for Scar to hunt since he knew that he didn't need to hunt for his own food while living on this planet. But who would this Yautja seek out to slaughter tonight?

Scar then remembered that incident several days ago when a gang harmed Alexa and attempted to rape her. He only killed one of those vile men and despite all the ecstasy it brought him, Scar wouldn't be truly satisfied until all of them were deceased for the unforgivable acts they committed against his dearest Life Mate. Perhaps if he finished what he started several days ago on this very night, Scar would finally be brought this gratification he so secretly desired. The wicked blood of rotten souls would soon be spilt as Scar began to track down these dreadful human beings who would dare harm his Life Mate in any way.

" **I will finish what I started…making you pyode amedha pay for what you've done to Alexa.** " He spoke to himself with a sense of grim determination present within his speech as he strode on into the night, ready for the kill.

One thing would be guaranteed about the men who wounded Alexa and made a stab at trying to sexually assault her: They would not be able to live for much longer.

* * *

On the other side of town, a morose and dreary neighbourhood was there and in this very region lived the gang members who Scar sought to murder. As most of its people were in a state of slumber for the night, two souls remained conscious for the time being, subjected to an interrogation from the local police authorities inside the basement of this house. At a table they sat and questioned the two men about the brutal, gruesome killing of their friend, to which they found some less than viable evidence that neither of the police officers affirmed one bit.

"Do you two crack heads honestly expect me to believe that an alien was responsible for the murder of Ricky Gonzalez? I mean, are you guys on drugs or something?" The first police officer grilled the two men, denying every aspect of their alibi.

"I'm telling you, officer; that is what I saw. We was just checking out this hot babe near the grocery store, then some freaky alien dude showed up and he fucking stabbed Ricky to death!" Lamar said in response to the inquisition presented to him by the police officer.

"I saw exactly what he said too, and swear its true officer! We've got ourselves a killer alien on the loose!" Carl joined in, trying to defend the words of what his friend had said earlier.

The police officers just looked at each other for a brief second, unsure what to do in this given situation involving two men from the ghetto who claimed that they saw an extra-terrestrial being murder their brother Ricky Gonzalez. One of them sighed as he took out a notepad and a pen, ready to write down the descriptions of what this supposed alien looked like according to these hooligans.

"Alright then, if your friend Ricky was indeed murdered by an alien like you so claim, what did it look like?" Questioned the police officer once more.

"Well, he was tall and muscular, I swear that those were dreadlocks on its head and his face was hidden by some kind of weird looking mask." Explained Carl, recalling what exactly it looked like according to his memory. As the police officer wrote down the notes, it became more and more conspicuous that these two men were either really stoned that day or just really stupid.

"Tall, muscular, dreadlocks and a face hidden behind a mask? Doesn't really sound like an alien to me son, I'm pretty sure that it was just some crazy guy with a bloody knife if you ask me." Stated the police officer in response to Carl's elucidation of the mysterious being who mercilessly slaughtered Ricky.

"That's not all, officer. He was using these strange looking gauntlets of some kind instead of a knife. I reckon that might be some kind of alien technology." Lamar jumped in, adding some more detail to back Carl up.

"Yeah, I'm still not convinced that this guy who murdered Ricky was an alien." The police officer stated his scepticism kept growing by the second.

"What if I told you that his skin looked almost reptilian like and he smelled like that too?" Carl said in a final attempt to persuade the police officers to have second thoughts on the matter at hand. Unfortunately, it did go as he had planned.

"Now that's just fucking stupid. I think our job here is done, Jerry." Said the police officer, as he wanted to leave with the barely useful evidence they had compiled from this ill-fated interrogation of these two men.

Just as they were about to depart however, the sound of a shattering window could be heard coming from upstairs. It no doubt caught the attention of all 4 men combined, as they all began to think the same now.

"D-did someone just break into the kitchen or something?" Lamar asked nervously, fearing for the worst.

"You two hold you horses and stay here while Jerry watches you. I'm going upstairs to see what that ruckus is about." The first police officer stated as he took out his pistol and walked up the stairs.

As he reached the second floor, he was met with the sight of a broken window in the living room with shards of glass scattered all over the floor. It was quite a mess, but no trace of any person could be found within the room at all. The police officer was puzzled, as he could've sworn that someone or something had just broken inside this very house. He lowered his gun and walked over to the broken window for a closer peak. He was beginning to think that it was just some rowdy teenager who threw a rock through the window and broke it, but of course that was not the case either. Sadly, he still couldn't find any trace of a potential intruder; but something had to have meddled its way here, he was certain of it. As he turned around to head back downstairs and retrieve his partner, the police officer was met with the horrific sight of a masked figure that looked exactly like the one which the two men downstairs had previously discussed.

He was shocked hard enough to collapse onto the ground and point his gun at the menacing being standing before him, but the beast showed little to no interest in him. Words couldn't describe just how petrified he had become.

"W-what the hell are you?" He questioned the mysterious figure as fear filled his voice.

The Yautja hunter did not respond. It just turned away and started to make its way to the basement where his partner and the two gang members were situated. As he watched the alien hunter descend the stairs while blades began to unsheathe themselves out of the gauntlets that it wore, the police officer's trepidation rapidly grew with every breath he took. The lies that those men had told were indeed true, and they were all most likely going to meet the same cruel fate as poor Ricky Gonzalez did just mere days ago at the hands of this alien hunter.

What he did not know however was that Scar had no interest in hunting down these police officers, but rather to seek vengeance upon those two rotten human souls who attempted to harm his Life Mate in sinister ways he couldn't even imagine. He swore to hunt according to the guidelines of the sacred Honor Code, not to leave a trail of bodies that once belonged to innocent lives like a heartless Bad Blood. A true Yautja hunter he remained at heart, and tonight would prove it.

As Scar descended the stairs into the basement while dragging his wrist blades against the wall, his prey began to tremble with terror. They watched the figure appear out of the darkness, so full of malice and keenness to slaughter even with its inhumane face concealed behind a mask. The police officer took out his gun and pointed it at the Yautja hunter, only to be easily thrown to the ground by this bruiting alien. He then stopped and took a quick glance at the officer before breaking the silence in the room.

"I have no business with you, but these two will suffer." Said Scar in a raspy human-like voice to the shock of the police officer.

Making his way over to the two men whom he schemed to slay with his wrist blades drawn out, they knew that their fate had been sealed. There was simply no chance in hell that they would ever survive the wrath of a vengeful Yautja hunter seeking to deliver retribution. The other police officer came running down the stairs to regroup with his partner, only to be met with the sight of the alien hunter pinning one of the gang members against the wall with a blade against his neck.

"What the hell man? Why are you trying to kill us?" Carl said, questioning the Yautja on his true motives for wanting to spill their blood.

"And what the fuck are you anyway?" Lamar inquired too, as a mixture of fear and curiosity had filled his mind. Scar clicked his mandibles still hidden behind his bio-mask before responding.

"You hurt Alexa and tried to rape her. I will make you pay for what you have done and you shall die in the name of Paya!" Scar roared at the man before he slashed at his throat with the wrist blades.

This caused him to become decapitated, as his severed head and lifeless corpse collapsed onto the ground, landing in a pool of blood. He then charged at Lamar, stabbing him in the heart with his blades. Lamar could practically feel the life in his body being sapped out with every spec of a second that passed with Scar's wrist blades still being lodged into his chest. He knew that it wouldn't be much longer.

"May you burn in the hands of Cetanu, you disgraceful pyode amedha." Scar said in a grim voice that was appalling even to the police officers watching the whole event unfold.

He then withdrew his wrist blades from the fresh corpse of the man and stared directly at the two police officers pointing their guns at him. Both of them were petrified to the bone and afraid to shoot at the alien hunter after witnessing him brutally murder these two men whom they were interrogating. Without saying a word, Scar pressed a button on the wrist computer console of his gauntlet and activated his active camouflage. Disappearing from their sight, he swiftly made a run for it while they just stood there utterly flabbergasted at what they had just observed.

"H-he's gone. Did he teleport or has he gone invisible or something?" Questioned the first police officer.

"I have no idea, Jerry. I am sure of one thing though." Replied his partner. "We are not alone out there."

* * *

 

While Scar was somewhat disappointed that he was not able to acquire any new kill trophies from this hunt, he was content that he managed to kill two of the other men who violated her. Three of those rotten souls had now left the land of the living and the other two would have to be dealt with another time. He thought it best to head home quickly before Alexa would discover that her Life Mate was nowhere to be found inside the house. Risking her discovering his little stunt to preserve his culture while also breaking a promise he made to her several days ago was not something Scar wanted to undertake.

Concealed by his cloaking device, Scar ran as fast and quietly as his feet could possibly carry him under the night sky. He was determined to make it home before Alexa noticed he was gone, but strange sight caused Scar to stop dead in his tracks.

Up on the roof of a nearby building, he swore that he saw what looked like the silhouette of another Yautja hunter. It was…certainly unexpected to him to say the least, as he assumed that he was the only Yautja hunter currently present on this planet. Yet despite this bewildering sight, Scar could not pick up the scent of another Yautja anywhere. Maybe it was because that other hunter was too far off into the distance or perhaps the whole thing was just Scar's mind playing some kind of trick on him.

Still, the thought of another Yautja; one belonging to another clan on this very world gave him mixed thoughts. On one hand, he was relieved to know that he wouldn't be alone whenever his Life Mate was at her place of work for the day; but there was also the suspicion that this particular Yautja hunter may actually a Bad Blood. He didn't want to assume the worst, but Scar knew that life can be unpredictable and you never know who will succumb to the wrath of evil next after Cage betrayed his clan. Not wanting to drone on about this for much longer, Scar decided to just head home before it was too late. Thankfully, Scar managed to return to Alexa's house without her noticing he had snuck out and broken a promise he swore to keep on her behalf. He stripped off his armor and hunting equipment, rinsed the blood off his wrist blades and climbed back into bed with her; to which she remained fast asleep for its entirety.

What Scar didn't know however, was that this Yautja whom he thought he saw out in the dark of night was part of something far grandiose and sinister than he could've possibly imagined with not just planet Earth at risk, but also his own bloodline too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s note: Hey everyone, Cosmic Sword11 here with a new chapter for Predator and Prey. I know that in the cannon material, it is revealed in Alien Covenant that the android David actually created the Xenomorphs; but in my crossover continuity I have decided that it would make more sense if the Engineers created the Xenos. Just wanted to put that out there. So anyway, I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter and regardless if you are reading this on FFN, Wattpad or AO3; please remember to R&R. That would be most appreciated. Without any further rambling, this is Cosmic Sword11 signing off.


	14. Chapter 13: A Captive Predator

**Chapter 13: A Captive Predator**

With no knowledge of Scar's secretive betrayal of her trust the previous night, Alexa woke the next morning to the sight of her Life Mate fast asleep next to her in bed.

As usual, the morning alarm did not rouse the latent Yautja despite springing Alexa awake almost immediately. Dragging herself out of bed, Alexa took a brief moment to take in the sight of Scar in a state of comatose. Seeing Scar, let alone any Yautja hunter like this made her feel like there was nothing to fear from these seemingly monstrous beasts.

Of course, Alexa knew that she still had work today and couldn't spend the entire day with her dear Life Mate.

She continued on with her morning routine while Scar continued to rest, as Alexa felt that it was best to just leave him repose for as long as he wished. Alexa showered, ate breakfast and had her morning coffee; but she received an unexpected phone call as she was getting dressed.

The ringtone of her cell phone didn't wake Scar either; so Alexa just assumed that Yautja were often heavy sleepers. Either that or Scar in particular was one.

Nevertheless, Alexa picked up her phone, flipping up the screen and answering it.

"Hello?" She said into the microphone, to which she was greeted with the voice of her co-worker, Pablo De Rosa.

"Hey Alexa, I got called into the lab early today and just for a head's up, we just found ourselves another alien life form." Stated Pablo, petrifying Alexa with the words he informed her about.

The only other species Alexa knew were of course Yautja; as she did not have any mental image of the various alien races that Scar said lurked somewhere in the Milky Way. Could he possibly be referring to a Yautja hunter that was now under the incarceration of Weyland-Yutani? It seemed like a conceivable veracity, but she couldn't be so certain.

"What? Are you serious?" She questioned Pablo out of confusion.

"Yeah, it's true. This one's much more humanoid in structure and be advised; he's extremely dangerous and a real ugly looking motherfucker." Replied Pablo.

Alexa knew that it just had to be a Yautja hunter who was being held captive in the Weyland-Yutani detachment where she worked based on what her co-worker had to say through the phone, yet she knew that it would be best to keep a low profile around this new specimen at all costs. Obviously it wasn't going to be member of the Shadow Hunter clan, but the mere thought of one of these alien hunters being held against their will in an institution as such brought an uneasy feeling in her veins.

"I'll…keep that in mind. Thanks, Pablo." She responded before hanging up and finished getting dressed for the day.

Alexa was about to head out the door when she stopped for a second, glancing at Scar while he was still in a deep state of slumber. She thought about whether or not it was a good idea to inform him that another one of his people was imprisoned by the very company she worked for. Her heart said that she should tell him, but her mind said otherwise.

Notifying Scar would most likely persuade Scar to break into Alexa's place of work in order to free this captive Yautja hunter; which would no doubt cost Alexa her job and place her relationship with Scar in jeopardy. As much as Alexa hated the thought of a fellow Yautja hunter being incarcerated against his own will, she knew that there was nothing she could do to help him. Freedom wasn't always an option and she was lucky that the Shadow Hunter clan's main elder granted her just that.

Perhaps Alexa could see this Yautja for herself and maybe even assure him that she had no intentions to harm him if she ever had the privilege to get close to this alien hunter. If that were to happen, she just hoped that this distinct Yautja was nothing like the bitter and blemished monster that was Cage. Dealing with a Bad Blood with a lurid bloodlust to hunt any living creatures whom he deemed as lesser than his own kin was the last thing Alexa wanted to undertake.

She remembered what Scar had told her about Bad Bloods and how Cage became one after he attempted to murder her, so the possibility that this Yautja behind held captive by Weyland-Yutani might be a Bad Blood was something she could not ignore. It bothered her greatly, as she feared that he may want to kill her too because of how she wore the Mark of Honor on her flesh with pride. That was Cage's motivation for betraying the clan in an attempt to spill her blood after all, so Alexa was fully aware that this was a risk she would have to take.

Nonetheless, she came to the conclusion that perhaps it would be best if Scar did not know about this supposedly captive Yautja being held within the walls of this Weyland-Yutani detachment. He had his role to play within their relationship, and so did Alexa too; as she was providing refuge for him. Alexa left her bedroom, grabbed her keys and headed out the door; leaving Scar behind to dream away and remain oblivious to this shocking revelation. Of course, it wasn't like this was a secret that could be held from Scar forever. He was bound to uncover the truth eventually in one way or another.

* * *

When Alexa finally arrived at work the following morning, she immediately headed for the lab where she and Pablo De Rosa had been examining blood samples from the Xenomorphs held in the containment bay.

Upon opening the door, she was met with a shocking sight before her very eyes. Inside the lab was a large cylindrical tube made out of bulletproof glass and inside it stood a Yautja hunter that did not look familiar to Alexa at all. It did however give her a bit of a shock, catching her off guard at first.

"Oh my god!" She exclaimed while the alien hunter entered her line of sight.

"I told you this fucker was ugly, Alexa. You really shouldn't be that surprised." Stated Pablo as he walked into Alexa's field of vision too.

"Maybe you're right, Pablo. I guess I just wasn't expecting him to look like…well, that of all things." Replied Alexa as she restructured herself.

She could not let Pablo know that she had become accustomed to having one of these aliens within her own residence, especially since the two of them didn't exactly have the best workplace bond possible.

"Yeah. Come to think of it, I should've been a bit more descriptive on how ugly he really was." Pablo said, acknowledging that perhaps it would have been better if he had been more evocative on the appearance of this captive alien hunter now in Weyland-Yutani's possession.

Once she had relaxed herself, Alexa slowly began to approach the Yautja held inside the glass tube. It seemed relatively normal at first, but as she drew closer and closer to the alien's proxemics; Alexa noticed that something was off about this particular Yautja hunter.

There were strange marking covering his flesh, which must've been tattoos of some sort. No other Yautja Alexa had ever seen wore these kinds of symbols imbedded on their skin, so this was surprising to Alexa without a doubt. What made this Yautja so different than the others and why did it bear these bizarre alien markings? These questions found themselves inside her mind and couldn't escape until she had found the answers to them all.

Her train of thought as swiftly interrupted when she got too close however. The incarcerated Yautja noticed a familiar looking emblem burned into Alexa's facial cheek, the Yautja Mark of Honor. Its eyes quickly widened and then narrowed again before letting out a fiendish roar, which startled both Alexa and Pablo.

"Holy shit!" Alexa exclaimed once more as she continued to shudder.

The Yautja hunter then proceeded to make a series of angry sounding rapid clicks from his mandibles, which Alexa knew was what the native language of their people sounded like; yet she still couldn't decipher anything he spoke because it was just simply too…otherworldly for her to comprehend.

"Well, looks like he really doesn't like you, Alexa." Said Pablo, noticing how the alien within the glass tube had taken a hostile reaction towards his co-worker for some odd unknown reason.

"Yeah…that's strange. I don't know what I did to piss him off that much." Replied Alexa, as she too was confused to why this particular Yautja showed such resentment towards her. Most of the other Yautja she had met admired her for earning this honor by blood, so it only further added to the mystery of this whole ordeal.

Knowing that she could not spill the beans and reveal her experiences with these Yautja hunters to Pablo, Alexa decided to create a façade where she would pretend to know nothing about this alien race. It seemed like a daunting task to make it convincing enough for him to believe, but Alexa knew that it had to be done regardless of how she thought.

"So, what the hell is this thing anyway?" Alexa questioned Pablo, hoping to get an answer out of him.

"We're not quite sure yet, but me along with several members of the lab teams agree that a fitting name for this guy would be Predator." Replied Pablo.

Alexa raised an eye in response to that name.

"Predator?" She asked once more.

"Makes sense, right? I mean, he's got the fangs and a muscular figure that are both convincing enough to be predatory. Alexa, surely you agree with us too?" Stated Pablo, assuming that Alexa would concur with these shared views on this race of alien hunters.

Alexa decided that she should just go along with what her co-worker and other fellow employees at this research detachment thought about these aliens to avoid any possible suspicion she might arouse.

"I suppose. But if this guy is a Predator, what does that make us? His prey or something?" Said Alexa in response, inquiring about this odd name for the alien and what it could possibly mean.

Pablo shrugged in response. "Only if he somehow manages to break out, I guess." He replied with nothing more than pure speculation in his words; despite having doubts that this so-called Predator could even escape the very institute they had been locked inside.

Even Alexa had misgivings in regards to how a Yautja hunter like this one could possibly break free, notwithstanding her trepidation of the Xenomorphs too. They were hard to kill as Alexa knew from her experience with their kind beforehand; as anything that bleeds can be killed. Now there were two types of immensely dangerous alien species being held within this research detachment and the likely threat of a possible outbreak continued to loom over everyone's heads like some kind of dark storm cloud.

Alexa took another glance at the Yautja hunter behind the glass, scowling at her with eyes so full of malevolence and hatred towards her. He looked like he was taking deep breaths and preparing to lash out at her, despite not having any weapons with him inside that glass tube.

_I have no idea what's gotten into you, buddy_. She thought to herself as she began to turn away.

The Yautja hunter then punched the glass, which in turn created an ear-splitting noise of splintering glass.

He did not break through, but the mere sound of his blow was enough to startle both Alexa and Pablo once again. As Alexa and Pablo looked at each other, they knew that something had to be done in order to prevent this captive alien from getting any more aggressive than he already seemed to be. This one needed to be anesthetised immediately.

Pablo then pressed a button on a nearby control panel, which in turn caused the Predator's containment tube to be filled with what appeared to be white smoke. That white smoke was actually knockout gas and it quickly made the alien hunter feel drowsy with ease. It wasn't long before the Yautja collapsed with his face pressed up against the glass as he lost consciousness with the world around him.

The gas then stopped, clearing up and revealing the passed out Yautja inside.

"Well…I guess now we should start examining this son of a bitch before he wakes up again." Stated Pablo, under the notion that studying this captive alien hunter while he remained unconscious was what the two of them needed to start right away.

Alexa became confused as she was certain that today would be yet another day involving Xenomorph samples in the labs. Did the schedule just all of a sudden change because Weyland-Yutani got their hands on another extra-terrestrial being? It seemed highly possible in her mind, so maybe it was.

"But what about the Xenomorphs? We're not just gonna forget about them, are we?" Questioned Alexa, just to be certain with her assumption.

"I'm afraid so, Alexa. We've been given orders to examine this Predator here and found out just what the hell he really is." Replied Pablo, who judging by the tone of his voice, didn't seem too enthusiastic about it either.

"If that's the case, I just hope he isn't the same as those damn Xenomorphs. They make my skin crawl." Stated Alexa, doing her best to hide her knowledge of the Yautja.

"Those Xenomorphs are parasites, Alexa. This guy here, he's most likely some kind of hunter…or maybe soldier. Honestly, I have no clue but if his people are hiding somewhere on Earth; they'll be our enemies regardless." Pablo said, declaring that he thought of these aliens as nothing more than atrocious beasts.

This hurt Alexa a little on the inside because she feared that he discovered her relationship with Scar, he may try to subject her dearest Life Mate to whatever kind of experimental laboratorial horrors Weyland-Yutani could possibly pull off.

"A-are you sure about that, Pablo?" She asked him again.

"Of course I am! Why wouldn't I be? This Predator is the ugliest damn alien I've ever seen and a threat to us no doubt." Pablo replied.

Alexa knew that his views on these Yautja were never going to change; especially if she was to keep her relationship with Scar disclosed to all. Knowing that it would be wise to just agree with his statement, she went along with it. Touching the glass where the captive Yautja had punched, Alexa responded to Pablo's aforementioned proclamation.

"Maybe you're right. He tried to lash out and attack me and I'm not sure why. These Predators or whatever they are, we're in deep shit for as long as they're present on Earth."

Alexa had no idea how long she could keep this cover-up afloat, but she knew that it had to remain vigorous at all times; especially when it came to examining this Yautja hunter in the lab. After removing the Predator from the glass containment tube, laying his unconscious body out on a table and restraining him; the two of them had begun to run tests on the alien.

The first of these given tests was to obtain a sample of blood and examine its biological properties under a microscope.

As Pablo injected the syringe into the upper leg of the alien and extracted a small but feasible amount of its blood for this particular study, he noticed something odd. Both alien species he was familiar with seemed to possess blood that was coloured green; despite Xenomorph blood being dark green and the lifeblood of this Predator was apparently lime green.

While it was only a minor detail, it fascinated Pablo no doubt.

"Hmm…both the Xenos and Predators gave green blood. Interesting." He said to himself as he inspected this fresh sample.

"Let's just hope that these Predators don't have acidic and highly corrosive blood like the Xenomorphs do. That would just make this a living hell." Alexa said in response to Pablo's own personal remarks.

"I agree. Shall we test to see if it is?" Questioned Pablo, eager to know the true assets that this alien blood possessed.

Alexa nodded in response. Pablo then opened up the syringe and walked over to another table in the lab that had a small piece of titanium sitting atop. He knew very well from their previous experiments with Xenomorph blood that it was corrosive enough to melt through some of the strongest man-made materials available and a terror inside his head feared the same would happen to this blood of another alien race.

Alexa just stood back and watched, as of course, she secretly knew that Yautja blood was neither acidic nor corrosive like the Xenomorphs and also the healing factor it carried. She knew what to expect while Pablo on the other hand did not. Pablo stood in front of the table, slowly and carefully trying to pour as little as physically possible onto the metallic material in front of him.

"Well, here goes nothing." He muttered to himself as a single drop of Yautja blood fell from the syringe and onto the metal.

It landed with a plop and…didn't melt through one bit.

Pablo had to admit that he was slightly disappointed that it didn't dissolve the piece of titanium he had at his disposal, but he was more or less content that the Predator species did not possess blood that on its own was dangerous enough to be technically considered toxic waste. "Um…I guess that's a relief." He said in response to this failed experiment.

"Yeah, I suppose so too." Alexa replied, as she truly was grateful for how different Yautja blood was when compared to Xenomorph blood.

The test continued as Alexa examined the blood sample Pablo extracted from the unconscious Predator under the lens of a microscope. She was granted with the spectacle of viewing the blood of a Yautja at 1000 times the magnification of the naked eye. It looked somewhat humanoid, yet still alien in appearance too. Though hard to initially describe in words, Alexa was still found it to be fascinating nonetheless.

Pablo on the other hand was inspecting the Predator's head. Everything about it felt so strange and alien to him; the mandibles, the dreadlocks and these strange symbols engraved into its flesh. Everything about this extra-terrestrial being screamed alien and otherworldly, but Pablo himself was predominantly entranced by the eccentric markings found all over its body.

Half of them he couldn't even interpret if they were scars or odd alien tattoos of some kind. There was one in particular that peeked interest towards Pablo's mind, one that was found right in the middle of the creature's large domed forehead. It looked alien in appearance, but for some odd reason Pablo couldn't help but feel like he had seen this peculiar emblem before.

He couldn't remember when or where that specific symbol had met his eyes, yet it seemed very familiar to him for some strange reason.

As he quickly glanced over at Alexa, he suddenly realized why it was so recognizable to his given mindset.

The symbol engraved onto the alien's forehead was virtually identical to the scar that was found on Alexa's face. Pablo gasped out of shock at this sudden revelation. Alexa took notice of this, as she stood up from the microphone and turned to her co-worker with a deepening sense of concern towards him.

"Are you alright, Pablo?" She questioned Pablo, worried about his well-being.

"Alexa…that scar on your face, it's identical to this symbol I found on the forehead of the Predator." He stated in response. Alexa froze, unable to decide how she should react. She needed to quickly find a way to keep up this masquerade of her true encounter with the Yautja species and relationship between her and the hunter Scar. The only problem was, Alexa had no idea what to say and could not come up with any sort of alibi convincing enough to actually work.

She tried to say something, but the words just wouldn't come out no matter how hard she tried. All Pablo got as a response was dead silence.

With no clear response from his co-worker, Pablo began to grow very suspicious about Alexa. No doubt she was hiding something from him, but exactly was it? It had to be in regards to the Predator or whatever their species was really known as. He had already known about her involvement at the Antarctic expedition of Bouvetøya and how the Xenomorphs were initially discovered there, though this only made Alexa's sudden disappearance after the expedition highly dubious.

Perhaps her explanation to why she had vanished from the face of the Earth was a concealment meant to hide away her knowledge of these humanoid alien hunters. This seemed like a plausible aim, it just had to be.

"Well? Can you explain that, Alexa? You're making me believe that you are hiding something from me." Stated Pablo, as he was almost certain that Alexa was in fact hiding something from him judging by the way she reacted to his remark about how the scar on her face was identical to the one found on the Predator's forehead.

"Um…why do you think I'm hiding something from you?" She questioned him, hoping that he would take this bluff of hers with a grain of salt.

Unfortunately, Pablo wasn't so easily fooled this time around.

"Don't give me that, I know you're hiding something Alexa! You probably know what these Predators really are, right?" He said in response, his tone of voice increasingly getting more and more agitated with every lie that Alexa spoke.

At this point, she didn't know what to do. Keeping this knowledge about the Yautja that she held as secretive as humanly possible was not going to be feasible anymore.

"Dammit Alexa, just tell me already! What the fuck are you hiding from me!?" Pablo snapped at her, demanding to know her secrets.

Realising just how angry her co-worker had become because of this, Alexa thought that maybe she should just tell him the truth. After all, telling one person about these clandestine experiences of hers surely wasn't going to stir up a fuss, right?

She took a deep breath before finally responding to Pablo.

"Pablo…I know what these Predators are and what the symbol on my face means." Stated Alexa, finally enlightening Pablo on these enigmas she kept hidden away from him in the short time they had known each other as colleagues.

Upon hearing these words from her, Pablo could not believe it. Sure he may have thought about the likelihood that this was the case of her disappearance after the Antarctic expedition; but that alone was but mere speculation and he didn't actually believe it to be the truth that Alexa tried to desperately to keep unseen and unheard from all eyes and ears. Oh how he had been sadly mistaken with his own superstition.

"You do? Well…what does it mean?" Pablo questioned Alexa, eager to know what the meaning behind this inexplicable alien marking was and why it was found on both the Predator and Alexa's flesh.

"It's what their people call the Mark of Honor. I earned it back on the Antarctic expedition." Explained Alexa.

While Pablo was somewhat content to finally be given an answer, he wasn't entirely sure if he should believe his co-worker's remarks because Pablo himself was unconvinced that a species with such incongruous faces could possibly even grasp the mere concept of honor itself.

"Mark of Honor? Are you serious?" He replied with a sense of incredulity in his voice.

"Look, I know it may be hard to understand, but these Yautja really do value honor and live by it almost religiously. Even I still think it's a bit strange to be honest." Alexa stated in an effort to sway Pablo's views of these alien hunters.

It did not work however; as he simply just raised an eyebrow at that one word he heard Alexa speak that he swore wasn't from any human dialect found on Earth.

"Yautja? What the fuck is a Yautja? Am I even pronouncing it right too?" Pablo questioned once more, as he found that particular word to be so…alien.

There really wasn't any other accurate way to describe it since the word itself just felt so foreign to him.

"Actually you are pronouncing it right and that is the actual name of their species, not Predator." Alexa elucidated on this abnormal word to normal human tongues, providing Pablo with an answer to both of his previous queries.

"Ok…then how the fuck did you earn this so called 'Mark of Honor' back on Bouvetøya?" Pablo asked yet again, as he was uncertain to how a human being like Alexa could possibly be given a prestigious symbol of admiration belonging to an alien culture. It didn't seem like an achievable task for any human to reach, yet here she stood before him with such an emblem burned into her skin for all to see.

"I earned this Mark of Honor because the Yautja and us were met with one common threat at the pyramid; the Xenomorphs. This one hunter saw me as too good to kill for his own gain, so he and I partnered ways and fought against those parasites until only we remained in the end. As the hunter was bleeding to death on the cold Antarctic Ice, he gave me this Mark of Honor for my efforts on a hunt." Explained Alexa, detailing a brief run-over of how she invested her trust in this extra-terrestrial being in the name of survival.

Needless to say, Pablo seemed intrigued with Alexa's little tale to tell. Finding a common middle ground with an alien hunter was not the kind of story you'd hear every day, especially in the year 2004. If Alexa somehow managed to negotiate with one of these Predators or Yautja as they were apparently known by the rest of the Milky Way Galaxy; then maybe the reality of their species was they weren't the threat he once made them out to be.

"So this hunter bled to death in Antarctica, huh? Then why couldn't we find his body anywhere when another squad was sent in search of your missing expedition team?" Questioned Pablo. He found this one bit to be oddly suspicious, since no Weyland-Yutani employees who were sent to Antarctica reported seeing the deceased body of a large humanoid alien creature.

"I never said he did die. His clan took brought him aboard their ship before he could pass away…and they took me up there too." Alexa explained, hinting at the verity of this Yautja hunter.

"Hold up, are you saying that…you actually went into space with these things?" Pablo queried yet again, as he could not believe the fact that Alexa had been outside planet Earth. Very few people were lucky to travel into space at this point of history with humanity's primitive space travel technology, so it was all the more preposterous to Pablo's mind.

Alexa nodded in response.

"Yes, I did and they welcomed me into their clan with open arms." She replied with a proud tone to her voice.

"You're shitting me." Pablo said, disbelieving this even more than her last boldly claim. This one he found just outright ridiculous.

"No, I am not shitting you. This actually happened and they also brought me back to Earth." Alexa stated in response, to which Pablo just rolled his eyes in response. He apparently got fed up with being told these outlandish stories that he was almost certain were false.

Pablo then left Alexa in the lab as he stormed off to his office.

A thought entered his head on the way there that involved reporting his co-worker as something in his brain told him that she must've gone crazy after suffering a traumatic experience at the Antarctic pyramid at just now it has come back to haunt her to the point where she was starting to lose her mind. Little did Pablo know however, that was far-fetched from the truth that stood inside.

* * *

Sitting at his desk with the computer monitor turned on, he began to log himself in; ready to testify his allegedly mentally unstable co-worker to the board.

However, something else caught his interest and he almost immediately forgot what his original intentions here were in the first place. Pablo had received several new e-mails, all being sent from members of the lab team. Each of these given e-mails had a file attached. Something about this seemed a bit fishy, so Pablo decided to open up each e-mail and take a look at whatever file was sent with it.

The first e-mail was a snippet from a newspaper printed in 1987, detailing how an American soldier on a mission in Val Verde supposedly murdered his entire squad and made up a bizarre alibi that involved his men being slaughtered by some kind of extra-terrestrial hunter. The way this hunter was described by the soldier was quite unnerving, as its description was virtually identical to the specimen that was being held in the labs at the detachment.

_There's no way this is true, it has to be some kind of coincidence._  Pablo thought to himself as he read through the article, as one piece of writing published about 20 years ago was not enough to convince him otherwise.

He then moved onto the second e-mail, which this time included a website link that brought him to a news article where two Colorado police officers reported seeing an alien creature break into the house of one of the men they were interrogating over another man's murder. They said that the alien spared their lives but killed the two men they were interrogating because of unknown reasons. All they could recall was the alien speaking in a human-like voice stating that they had hurt a woman named Alexa.

Just like the American soldier from the 1987 newspaper, they described the alien's appearance in the exact same manner; with its facial features being the only exception since they said the figure was wearing a mask of some sort. This made Pablo feel a bit on edge, but it wasn't quite enough to sway his beliefs.  _Again, this has to be some kind of hokey coincidence or something._  He thought to himself once more as he moved onto the third and final e-mail he received that day.

The third e-mail was a video. It's audio and video quality was extremely poor, so it was most likely recorded on a cellphone or perhaps a very cheap camcorder. Despite this, Pablo was able to make out what took place in the video itself. It depicted what appeared to a gang of thugs ganging up on a young woman, almost like they were trying to rape her. At first, the woman was able to defend herself from these thugs; that was until one of them pulled out a gun and shot her in the stomach.

As the men inched further and further, the person who was holding the camera began to run towards the gang; possibly in an attempt to drive them away from the wounded woman.

Suddenly, the cameraman stopped and what appeared to be an alien hunter that looked almost exactly like the one from the lab now stood in front of him. It then charged at the gang, and proceeded to brutally stab one of them to death with no mercy. The sight itself was sickening and gory, appalling enough to make Pablo sick to his stomach.

After the rest of the men fled the scene, Pablo realised something sinister about this video.

That very woman who was shot and almost raped was in fact his co-worker Alexa Woods.

Pablo could not believe it. With all this new information to process still running amok inside his mind, he began to form a conspiracy in an attempt to connect all of these supposed clues together.

That Yautja hunter that ambushed an American soldier and killed his entire squad in Val Verde back in 1987 was probably the exact same one in the other sources. Perhaps he had met Alexa Woods at the Antarctic pyramid on Bouvetøya and they hard formed an alliance just as she described earlier in the lab. Alexa also mentioned that she was brought aboard the ship of this hunter's clan, so he was clearly still alive and didn't bleed to death in Antarctica like he had initially believed.

If that was the case, then maybe Alexa was secretly keeping this Yautja hunter in the custody of her own home without anyone else knowing. This would add up given how the Yautja in the video brutally stabbed one of the gang members to a bloody and violent demise. If Alexa was really the woman in the video, then that would also mean that the Yautja was hunting down those two other men in a field of revenge for attempting to rape her.

This was of course, all just a mere shot in the dark based on what little evidence he had to support such a boldly theory; but it all made sense to Pablo. He knew exactly what had to be done next, and that was to confront Alexa at her own residence for hoarding Weyland-Yutani property and one of the most deadly creatures mankind had ever known inside her very own house.

Pablo had unfortunately found himself in a pool of overconfidence, as he didn't know what truly awaited him inside his co-worker's home. It was still a Yautja hunter, but not the one he truly thought he was trying to search for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s note: Hey everyone, Cosmic Sword11 here with a brand new chapter for Predator and Prey. I hope you all enjoy it. With all that said and done, I believe it is time for me to wrap up this author’s note before I start rambling on any further. So please remember to R&R whether you’re reading this on FFN, Wattpad or AO3. This is Cosmic Sword11 signing off.


	15. Chapter 14: Secrets to Keep

**Chapter 14: Secrets to Keep**

Under the illusion that Alexa Woods was keeping the jungle hunter spotted in 1987 within the custody of her own home, Pablo knew that he must venture there to uncover these secrets that she had been hiding from the rest of the world. If it was indeed true just he had imagined, then Alexa he would be forced to report her to the authorities. There was just no way she would hide a monstrous alien creature with a tendency to kill inside her house; especially if Weyland-Yutani was now shifting their attention towards this particularly eccentric specimen of extra-terrestrial life.

This Predator, Yautja, whatever the true name of its species really was; it didn't belong here on Earth and Pablo knew that it was a threat unlike anything else he had ever seen. After his shift for the day was over at roughly around 5 in the afternoon; Pablo left the research detachment and began to search for Alexa's residence. He couldn't remember its exact location but he recalled her mentioning several days earlier during a lunch break that her house was in the outskirts; which was also relatively close to a lot of farming land apparently.

Pablo spent a good chunk of the evening in search of Alexa's home, trying to find it based on a vague mental image painted in his mind without the use of a GPS or even knowing what her address was either. Time after time again, he would pass houses that did not match Alexa's descriptions until he finally came across a large red house that stood in the middle of nowhere. Surrounded by fields of grass and deciduous forest, large enough to accommodate a large family and of course the familiar looking 2004 Nissan Altima parked in the driveway; this one had to be Alexa's home, Pablo was certain of it.

As he parked his car near the driveway, Pablo took out a pistol and loaded it with a full magazine of ammunition. While his initial plan was to find out if Alexa really did in fact have a Yautja hunter living inside her home like he had predicted, Pablo knew that he needed some way to defend himself from the alien hunter if he was to try and lash out at him. He wasn't taking any chances and kept fearing for the worst in desperate times like these.

Opening up the car door and stepping outside, Pablo thought to himself.  _I know there's something you're hiding from me, Alexa. You won't be able to hide it from me forever._

He was undeniably determined to uncover the truth. As he walked up to the front door, he hid the pistol in the rear pocket of his jeans. It may not have been the most convincing concealment for a firearm, but at least it was easy for him to grab it quickly if necessary.

However, a mere pistol wouldn't fare well against a Yautja hunter; even when not in battle.

* * *

At the moment inside her house, Alexa had decided that since she had a rough day at work and frantically needed to get the captive Yautja hunter off her mind; she would introduce Scar to another form of human entertainment.

The two of them were playing Star Wars Battlefront on Alexa's Playstation 2…or at least she was.

Scar couldn't figure out how to properly use the controller, as his claws were quite large and most of the buttons were extremely small for his fingers. This made the controls of the game incredibly difficult for him. Needless to say gaming for him was not nearly as entertaining as it was for his Life Mate. As Alexa won yet another match against Scar, he tossed his controller onto the ground out of frustration.

"I cannot do this! How can you oomans find enjoyment from this?" The Yautja hunter said in a clearly aggravated tone of voice.

Alexa had to admit, there was something mildly humorous about watching Scar experience what gamer rage truly felt like. Still, she knew that she needed to tell him that it was just a video game and that it was just not worth getting that riled up about.

"Scar, there's no need to get that upset over this. It's just a game and just like everything else, only practice will help improve your performance." Stated Alexa in an effort to convince him the right way to think. Scar thought about what his Life Mate had to say and thought that perhaps she was right. This just wasn't worth it, not now or ever. He sighed before replying to her remarks.

"I guess you're right, Alexa." Scar said in response. Just then, there was a knock on the front door, catching the attention of them both. Alexa signalled Scar to keep out of sight as she answered the door.

Opening it, she was met with the surprising sight of her co-worker Pablo De Rosa standing before. She was…stupefied to say the least.

"Oh, hey Pablo. What brings you here?" Questioned Alexa, as she did not expect her partner in the labs to be stopping by her house at all.

"Well Alexa, I was doing some extra research and several members of the lab teams have presented me with fresh evidence regarding our new specimen in holding. I just got informed and thought it was best if I told you right now since I just so happened to be out on the road when I was sent an e-mail." Began Pablo, trying not to throw her off guard immediately as that was not his intention.

Alexa seemed intrigued, but began to fear that Scar might be eavesdropping on her conversation with Pablo De Rosa. That was the last thing she wanted since she was quite apprehensive about the possibility of their secretive relationship being placed in on the line.

"New evidence? What do you mean?" She asked him once more.

"It's quite surprising information really, or at least I was shocked when I found out that you of all people were hiding an alien in your goddamn house!" Pablo snapped at Alexa, not falling for her series of lies any longer.

Alexa could not believe that he had figured out what she had been trying to hide from him and the rest of the world around her. She just stood there, motionless and unable to come up with any kind of verbal response.

"I know you have one of these Predators inside your house Alexa, and I'm pretty sure that this fucker has visited Earth back in 1987." Pablo said, pushing his way past her and entering her house. After receiving that startling shove from him, she snapped out of her trance and tried to follow him. What Pablo had said just didn't make sense to her at all.

"Woah, woah. What the hell are you talking about?" She questioned his actions and words, outright flabbergasted by it all.

"Don't give me that shit, Alexa! You are hiding an alien that looks just like the Predator we have back in the lab! Now why don't you just bring him to me right now or else Weyland-Yutani is going to have to let you go." Pablo turned around and shouted at her once again; raising his voice loud enough to draw attention to the very creature he was searching for to his own misfortune.

He then heard loud footsteps and felt heavy breathing on the back of his neck, indicating that someone or rather something was standing right behind him. As he looked over his shoulder, Pablo was met with the sight of a Yautja hunter who was clearly not happy to see him one bit. In fact, he was outright fuming with rage and about to blow any second.

"Oh no." Pablo muttered under his breath before the Yautja hunter then pinned him up against the wall with his arm up against Pablo's neck.

He grunted in pain before looking the Yautja hunter right in the eyes as it began to talk to him…in English to his astonishment.

"Who are you and what are you doing in Alexa's home!" The Yautja hunter demanded in a deep raspy voice filled to the brim with anger.

The human then pulled his pistol out from his back pocket and aimed at it at the alien, though it was knocked clean out of his hands before he could even pull the trigger. From one of the strange gauntlets on its arms, two sharp blades began to unsheathe themselves with them both being pointed directly at Pablo. It seemed like this would be the end for him, until Alexa approached the Yautja hunter and placed her hand onto the side of his body.

"Scar, please don't kill him. Remember that promise you made to me?" She pleaded to this Yautja hunter who Pablo now distinguished him as being named Scar.

While Scar had already secretly broken this promise he made to her several days ago, he knew that he couldn't kill this man in front of Alexa especially after the incident with the gang outside the grocery store. He retracted his wrist blades and released his grip on this strange new man who just entered Alexa's house and insulted her.

Though Pablo was initially relieved to be out of the hands of a monstrous alien creature, he still wanted to find out why Alexa had been housing this Yautja hunter named Scar inside her own house and kept it a secret from everyone.

"Do you know this man, Alexa?" Questioned Scar. Alexa nodded in response.

"Yes, Scar. He's Pablo De Rosa…you know, the co-worker of mine I told you about at dinner last night." She stated in response, revealing the true identity to this human male unknown to Scar.

"But why is he here in our home?" Scar asked yet again, clearly distrustful of the man and it wasn't going to change any time soon.

"More importantly, why the fuck is this thing in your home, Alexa?" Pablo questioned her too with an agitated tone of voice. He was not happy to know why she kept such an unsettling secret from him.

"He is not a thing, Pablo. His name is Scar and he is a living being just you. Well, not exactly like you; but I'm pretty sure you get the idea." Stated Alexa in response, trying to convince him that this Yautja hunter that she kept inside her house really wasn't a devilish creature like he co-worker so thoroughly believed.

Pablo however, found this to utterly preposterous; especially when considering the name of this aforementioned extra-terrestrial being.

"I don't follow." He replied with a flat and uninterested tenor to his words.

"Well, I keep Scar inside my home because I'm afraid that Weyland-Yutani will torture him just to find out what his species truly is. Also and this may sound crazy to you, but…I love him." Alexa responded, admitting to this genuineness that she didn't feel comfortable confessing to any person on this planet because she was certain on how one would react.

Pablo of course, was outright disgusted by this new reality; almost to the point where he once again felt sick to his stomach.

"Are you fucking serious? How the hell could you love something that looks like the ill-fated result of Cthulhu banging a Klingon? I mean, what the fuck is wrong with you?" Pablo ranted out of pure repugnance of this supposed romantic relationship between Alexa Woods and this Yautja hunter. The mere concept of that alone sickened him and he couldn't accept it one bit.

Scar wasn't entirely sure how he should act in response to these words spoken by Alexa's co-worker, but he felt like it was an insult directed at him specifically for simply no reason other than his otherworldly appearance. He then looked down at the human male with resentment filling his eyes as he pointed straight at him with a single finger.

"Watch that tongue of yours, ooman. Or else I'll have to tear it out myself." Scar said in an effort to scare the man into keeping quiet.

To him, it didn't matter if he insulted her or Alexa; if it was something he didn't like then he was bound to intervene and put an end to it.

"Scar, please. Don't hurt him." Alexa pleaded yet again, beseeching the Yautja hunter not to harm Pablo De Rosa one bit.

"I know you don't like him, Scar, but he is my co-worker and he's still afraid of your species." She knew that she would have to explain this to him in a way that she was certain he would be able to comprehend, so that was just what Alexa planned to do.

"Remember what I told you about us humans and how it's in our DNA to fear the unknown?" Questioned Alexa, to which Scar promptly nodded in response.

"Well, Pablo's scared of the Yautja because he isn't sure what they really are and he is also put off by your appearance. I'm not saying I think you're hideous, Scar, because I really don't. I love you the way you are, but Pablo cannot see the same way I do because he doesn't share the same experiences." She explained in the hopes that Scar would see this whole ordeal in new light.

Thankfully, he did; but Scar still didn't quite grasp why Pablo would be so revolted by the daunting exterior of a Yautja hunter he possessed.

"What do you mean he is afraid of my appearance?" He asked Alexa once more.

"In Pablo's perspective, you look so alien to him it's to the point where it terrifies him. It's simply because you're so…different." Alexa elucidated on her rationalization of why a normal human being would be petrified of the unsettling outer shell of a Yautja.

It seemed a bit simple-minded to fear the unknown as well as anything that felt so unnatural and alien to oneself, but Scar remembered what his own fears were and figured that perhaps the fears held by Pablo De Rosa were also justified in their own right. Reality itself wasn't always simple after all.

"I…I understand, Alexa." Scar said in response, taking in his Life Mate's words.

"Yeah, but that's not the only reason why I'm afraid of your…Yautja here." Replied Pablo stating that there was more to his trepidation of these alien hunters than just their looks while also not having a good enough thing to say at the end to put it bluntly.

This confused both Alexa and Scar, as they wondered what exactly could've been another reason for Pablo to be afraid of these humanoid alien creatures.

"What do you mean, Pablo?" Questioned Alexa yet again.

"One of the e-mails I received contained an excerpt from a newspaper published in 1987. It described an American soldier who claimed that his squad was killed in Val Verde by some kind of alien hunter that could turn invisible. The way he described what that supposed alien looked like…it was exactly like a Yautja." Pablo explained, noting how eerie the similarities were.

Alexa and Scar were both equally speechless at this news for different reasons. Alexa couldn't believe that there was another human being on Earth who had an encounter with a Yautja hunter and lived through it; while Scar on the other hand found it astonishing at this human soldier unknown to him somehow managed to outsmart and defeat a trained veteran hunter out on a hunt.

"And what does that have to do with this?" Alexa asked once more, as she was confused to why Pablo would even bother bringing it up in discussion.

"Because Alexa, I have a suspicion that the Yautja hunter that slaughtered that soldier's squad back in 1987 was your alien friend there. Scar." He stated in response.

Scar knew very well that this was not his doing, as he did not visit planet Earth 17 years prior.

"That doesn't make sense, the first time I ever visited this world was this year; on the Kiande Amedha pyramid where I met Alexa." Said Scar, shutting down Pablo's superstition of a possible link between all the given pieces of evidence he had received earlier that day.

He knew that the Yautja hunter was not lying to him, as even with that deep raspy voice that brought tremors down Pablo's spine every time he spoke in this human dialect. However, he could not understand that one phrase Scar used that just like the name of his species did not sound human either.

"The what?" Pablo said out of pure confusion.

"Kiande Amedha, it's what his people call the Xenomorphs. They also like to call them the 'Ultimate Prey' too." Stated Alexa in response.

Finding out that the humans and Yautja had a common foe was good news to Pablo's ears, to which he began to ponder the possibilities of maybe finding a middle ground between both species. Perhaps they weren't really the gargantuan threat he initially made them out to be. However, the other e-mails Pablo had received most likely had some kind of link to Scar and Alexa. They just had to since these ones were much more recent, which made them all the more convincing to Pablo's mind.

"Well if Scar wasn't on this planet 17 years ago, I'm pretty sure he's been here for a very short time. Despite this, I'm fairly certain that he's killed a few men here too." Pablo stated, as he was determined to find out if any of that evidence he was provided by the lab teams with was in fact accurate.

Alexa knew that Scar had brutally stabbed one of those gang members who tried to rape her many days ago, but that was all she knew at the moment when it came to murders he enacted on the soil of this very planet. Little did Alexa know however of the other killings Scar enacted out of revenge.

"I know that Scar did murder someone, I saw him do it right in front me. He stabbed a man to death after he and his gang tried to rape me and he even has that man's skull on display." Said Alexa, pointing out that she was aware of this one particular slaughter at the hands of this Yautja hunter.

Pablo then looked to his left and saw a bunch of skulls, many of which looked like the belonged to inhuman creatures that were most likely not from this planet either. This made him feel uneasy yet again, as the more he learned about these Yautja hunters, he was met with conflicting opinions of whether or not they were civilized beings like humans or cadaverous savages.

"Scar, why did you kill that man?" Pablo questioned the Yautja hunter once again.

"It had to be done. He desecrated Alexa's honor, harmed her and tried to rape her. Any soul rotten enough to commit such heinous acts deserves to die." Replied Scar, stating his judgments towards the man he mercilessly slaughtered in a field of rage. Yet again, Pablo had to admit that he actually agreed with the Yautja's reasoning to why he brutally killed that man; despite the fact that Pablo found the concept of keeping the skull of a deceased man killed by oneself to be quite macabre. At heart all he was really doing was protecting Alexa, even though any sane individual would consider that to be taking it a little too far.

"If you killed that man because you were just trying to protect her, Scar; then what about the other two men you murdered?" Pablo asked Scar.

Upon hearing these words uttered from his mouth, Alexa's eyes widened quicker than ever. She could not believe hear ears at all. Did Scar really betray her trust and kill behind her back? It seemed like he did, since Pablo had the evidence to prove that two more men were in fact slaughtered at the hands of a Yautja no doubt. She turned around and looked at Scar who looked like he was hiding something and didn't want to come clean.

"Scar, how could you have done this? You promised to me that you wouldn't kill another human being as long as I let you live under my roof. So why'd you do it?" Alexa queried him with a voice that sounded like she really was distraught.

It was no surprise that she felt betrayed by her very Life Mate after she believed his word to be genuine. Scar himself started to feel guilty more than ever, but he knew he had to come clean and reveal the true reason why he snuck out at night to hunt. Hopefully then she would understand.

"Alexa, I can explain." He said in an attempt to convince his Life Mate that he didn't intend it to become this way.

"Then tell me, Scar. Tell me exactly why you deceived me and killed these 2 other men out there." Demanded Alexa in an agitated tone of speech, eager to know just why Scar turned on her like this.

"Alexa, I snuck out to hunt the other night because…I was afraid. Afraid that I would lose my Yautja culture if I did not hunt. And those men I killed; they were the same ones who tried to violate you." Explained Scar, revealing the truth behind his infidelity towards the trust of his dear Life Mate.

Alexa felt…ambivalent upon hearing these words.  _He did this all because he was afraid of losing his culture?_  She thought to herself.

The anger she once held a brief moment ago felt its way leaving her system as it was quickly being replaced with benevolence at the sight of Scar with his head hung low almost as if he was grieving.

"Scar, why are you afraid of losing your culture? I mean, what have I done that makes you feel this way?" Alexa questioned the Yautja hunter, wondering if the actions she made had consequences on her Life Mate's own life here on Earth. It obviously wasn't her intention to create a disconnection between Scar and the culture of his people, yet it seemed like it was bound to happen eventually regardless of whatever Alexa's choices were.

"You forbid me to hunt, you never let me leave your house and I can't even be introduced to the members of your family I heard you conversing with." Stated Scar in an irked tone that showed he was unfulfilled with the way he was living with Alexa.

He enjoyed the meals she cooked, the company she brought to him whenever she was around and whatever wondrous tales of humanity she had to tell, but even all of that wouldn't be enough to satisfy him. Whenever he heard Alexa talking to her supposed parents over the phone, he felt like there was another aspect of her life that he was being cut directly out of. If it hadn't been for his love for Alexa, he didn't think that he could tolerate it as much as he already had.

"Alexa, you make me feel isolated from this world."

Alexa honestly didn't know what to say. She began to realize that these actions she made had unintended consequences, ones directed almost specifically towards Scar. It was not her goal to create a withdrawal from his Yautja culture and heritage, yet it happened anyway. Alexa knew that Scar was just like any man in the sense that he would defend what was rightfully his with dignity and pride.

For those reasons, she felt like it was partially her fault for essentially suppressing Scar's own life on this alien world to him.

"Scar, I'm so sorry. I just wanted to keep you safe. There are people out there who will hunt you down and experiment on you just because you're an alien living on Earth. I don't want that to happen because I really do love you, Scar. It would hurt me so much inside to see you in the same kind of pain you had after the battle on the pyramid." Said Alexa, looking almost teary eyed before burying her face into Scar's chest as the faint sound of a whimper could be heard.

Scar looked down at her, knowing that she felt guilty for trying to isolate Scar from his own culture. If she was still willing to forgive him for betraying her trust and murdering those truly vile men who violated her, then Scar too would pardon Alexa's own wrongdoings. They were Life Mates after all, star-crossed lovers bound to each other through their own trust to one another. Alexa then felt Scar holding her in a gentle yet tight embrace, clearly done in an attempt to comfort her.

Moments like these reminded her why she loved Scar so much; because he always stood by her side no matter what. One could say that he was…protective of his Life Mate to a certain extent.

"Alexa, I know it wasn't your intention. I understand that you would hate to see me in pain, because I feel the same about you." Scar spoke Alexa, trying to ease her current state of shame.

"But I shouldn't have tried to take your Yautja culture away from you, Scar. For god's sake, I'm a blooded Yautja by law too, I should know better!" She replied, not quite feeling her spirits alleviated yet.

"You're also an ooman, Alexa. You have another life in this world that I do not. Yautja are protective of our mates, so I do not blame you for trying to protect me from the dangers this world can bring." Scar stated in response.

With words like that, Alexa knew that Scar had to be right.

As Pablo watched the whole event unfold before his very eyes, he began to realize why Alexa said she loved this Yautja. For some odd reason, Scar seemed so…human. There really wasn't any other way for Pablo to put into words.

Watching this frightening Yautja hunter comfort a woman while she was in tears certainly made Pablo reconsider his views on this alien species. What once looked like a frightening alien creature with an otherworldly appearance now all of a sudden felt like a genuine human being. That didn't mean Pablo no longer felt afraid by Scar however, as he still found chills being sent down his spine whenever in the presence of this Yautja hunter. The Yautja species was simply that intimidating to him.

Despite all this, he still didn't know what to say. He thought about leaving at this moment, but didn't because there was one more thing Pablo figured he might as well ask this Yautja hunter while he was still at Alexa's house.

"Well…I guess I can see why you love this alien, Alexa. Scar obviously likes you, but I'm not sure what he thinks of me." Said Pablo. Scar then released his embrace with Alexa and walked over to the human male still standing in the room with them. Towering over the average-sized human, he pointed at his face with a single finger from his claw.

"I don't trust you, Pablo De Rosa. However, I will not harm you since you are not a threat to me or Alexa. Consider yourself lucky enough to be labelled as innocent." Stated Scar, indicating that while he did not confide with this man; Scar vowed to not hurt him since doing so to any unworthy individual would be a direct violation of the Honor Code.

He also understood that his Life Mate had a professional relationship with this man purely as colleagues in the workplace, so there really wasn't any good reason for Scar to claim Pablo's life at all.

"Alright…Thank you, Scar." He said in response to the Yautja hunter's words.

"Is that all, Pablo? Or is there anything else you came here to tell me about?" Questioned Alexa, suspecting that there must've been another reason why her co-worker was in her house at the moment.

After all, he did greet her at the door by stating that he had found new evidence about the other Yautja hunter on the planet; the one Weyland-Yutani had in captivity at the detachment.

"Actually, yes. Though I'm pretty sure Scar would not want to hear this at all." Replied Pablo. His statement was met with a rather nosy response from Scar, who was given the impression that he was also hiding something that Scar did not want to find out.

"I wouldn't want to hear what?" Scar questioned the human male again, this time in a meddlesome tone of voice.

"Um…what I told you that Weyland-Yutani has a Yautja hunter held captive at the detachment where Alexa and I work?" Asked Pablo, taking a gamble on how this alien hunter would react to such a point at issue.

Unsurprisingly, Pablo's words enraged the Yautja hunter once again.

"What?!" He snapped at Pablo, fuming with rage.

"Release that Yautja immediately! He has no right to be imprisoned by you oomans like that!" Scar's tone of voice kept getting increasingly more infuriated with every second gone by.

He loathed the idea of one's freewill being suppressed, especially after his own had been bottled-up to a certain extent. Pablo began to wonder if it really was the best choice to set this captive Yautja free from the hands of Weyland-Yutani. Sure, it may cost him his job but he was honestly more afraid that Scar would try to murder him in his sleep if he didn't do as he commanded.

"Right, right. I'll free this Yautja hunter we have in captivity. But first, can you tell me if this guy looks familiar to you, Scar?" Questioned Pablo once more as he reached into the front pocket of his jeans and took out a photograph of the Yautja hunter still held in the labs.

Scar took the picture from Pablo's hands and carefully inspected it. This particular Yautja he did not recognize, but something about it was so familiar and he couldn't quite figure out why.

Then it hit him, a traumatic memory from his past coming back to him as he saw the unusual markings all over the Yautja's body in the picture. He gasped out of shock, dropping the photograph in the process before looking directly at Pablo this time not with anger in his eyes, but instead what almost appeared to be fear.

"Do not release him." Scar said in an almost warning tone.

This confused Pablo as he was certain that Scar wanted him to free this captive Yautja hunter.

"What do you mean 'do not release him'? I thought you said that's what you wanted to do, Scar. What the hell is going on?" Pablo asked again, more perplexed than ever at the moment. He did not understand why Scar gave him a demand to meet, only to then tell him to do the exact opposite of what he initially ordered.

"That Yautja you people have held captive is a Bad Blood, part of a dangerous clan known as the Forsaken Blades. If you free him, he will go on a killing spree and no doubt try to kill Alexa too!" Stated Scar, trying desperately to convince Pablo to keep that traitorous and vile Bad Blood Yautja within the walls of the prison he was confined to.

Pablo however was only made even more bewildered at what he said in response. It was a term that despite sounding human to him, he still didn't understand what Scar meant by it.

"Bad Blood? What the hell is that?" He questioned the Yautja hunter once more.

"Wanted fugitives, traitors, disgraced hunters who have abandoned Paya and sided with Cetanu. They are pure evil at heart and will stop at nothing to fulfill their sickening pleasure of killing without boundaries." Replied Scar.

While this may have given him a decent explanation to what a Bad Blood really was, the other unknown terms he used just sounded all the more cryptic to his human ears.

"Ok, what the hell are you saying now? Paya, Cetanu? What the fuck do those even mean?" Pablo asked Scar one more time.

"Paya is the goddess of the Yautja. She watches over all of us and gave us the sacred Honor Code to hunt by. Her beauty and wisdom lies within all of us, even Alexa here. Cetanu is the dark hunter, the god of death. He claims the souls of sinful Yautja like that Bad Blood for their transgressions against the Honor Code and tortures them for all eternity as a form of retribution." Explained Scar, giving a brief yet detailed explanation to what these supposed beings from Yautja mythology were.

Pablo seemed to grasp the concepts of these divine beings within the culture of this race of alien hunters.

"Oh, so they are basically their versions of God and Satan. I get it now." Replied Pablo, understanding what Scar meant with these otherworldly terms that sounded so abnormal to him.

With all that said and done, Pablo knew that it was probably for the best if he would just leave now that he had found out that his conspiracy turned out to be mostly false. Even though Scar still brought goose bumps to his skin whenever he stood anywhere near him, he realized that this Yautja hunter on his own wouldn't be a threat to humanity. Hell, Scar even felt somewhat human to him for some odd reason.

"Should I go now? I mean, I don't really want to be here and quite frankly, Scar's still kind of freaking me out." Pablo spoke up, requesting to depart from this uncomfortable place.

"Go ahead, Pablo. I'll see you next week on Monday." Alexa said in response, as it was a Friday and she therefore did not have work for the next two days.

"Right. I guess I'll see you around then." Pablo replied, turning to leave. However, before he could even exit the doorway, he felt something tap his shoulder. As he turned around, Pablo was met with Scar…handing over the pistol he had dropped on the ground earlier that evening.

"Take your weapon. It has no use to me." Scar stated, instructing him to grab the firearm from his claws.

Pablo hastily took the gun from Scar's grasp, wondering why he would bother to do so with a perfectly functioning firearm. Maybe there were alien weapons he preferred to use while on hunts that were hidden away somewhere in Alexa's house. That was only his prediction, but it didn't really matter to him as long as he knew that Scar had no plans to kill him like had primarily believed.

"Thanks." That was all he could say to the Yautja hunter before leaving Alexa's residence and closing the door behind him. Now only Alexa and Scar remained inside the house. They looked at each other, unsure of what to say. Silence filled the air around them as Alexa and Scar continued to gaze at one another, until she finally broke the taciturnity within the room.

"I can't believe that I tried to take your culture away from you, Scar." She said, still unable to accept the fact that her own efforts to keep Scar safe on this alien world to him almost took away what was most important to his life as a Yautja.

"And I can't believe that I too, betrayed your trust, Alexa." Replied Scar, gently running his claw along the Mark of Honor etched into Alexa's flesh.

"If I can forgive you for your mistakes, can you forgive my unfaithfulness towards your trust?" He questioned his Life Mate, eager to know if they could just put it all behind each other and move on with their lives.

Alexa smiled, knowing that Scar was indeed being genuine with his words this time around, she was sure of it.

"Yes. I can forgive you, Scar." She said in response before wrapping her arms around him. Scar returned the hug, absorbing her warmth in the process. He then whispered a question to Alexa he eagerly wanted to know.

"Will I be able to hunt once again?" Alexa knew that despite having a fear lingering in the back of her head, this was an aspect of Scar's culture that she couldn't take away. His people lived and thrived by hunting, plus the sacred Honor Code had guidelines that prevented their cultural traditions from being outright barbaric and soulless. The odds of him murdering an innocent person on a hunt were next to none.

"As long as you can keep your tracks hidden and not get caught, yes. You can still hunt, Scar." Replied Alexa.

This brought a sense of joy to Scar's heart, as he was relieved to no longer live with the fear of losing his culture under Alexa's roof. He honestly didn't know how to thank her in any other way than displaying affection towards her, so that was exactly what he said.

"Thank you, Alexa. I don't know how I can repay you." Scar spoke, blissful as he ever could be.

"Just be yourself, Scar. I love you for the one you are, and I doubt that I could see it any other way." Alexa said in response, declaring that she didn't really want Scar to change any more than he already had to adjust to this new way of life.

"I'm glad to hear that, Alexa. I don't want to be anything else other than myself. This is who I am and I intend on staying this way, especially if it is sincerity that you want from me, Alexa." Scar affirmed before the two of them finally released the embrace they held together.

There was another brief pause before Alexa walked into the kitchen and began to pour herself a glass of wine. She felt like she could use a drink especially after a crazy dramatic scenario like that on a Friday night. Scar followed her into the kitchen and watched her fix herself this beverage.

He still could not understand why humans liked this stuff so much. To him, it was very tame and honestly a bit bland too. Like many Yautja, Scar's preference of alcohol involved much stronger substances that what humans apparently liked.

"Scar, how did you recognize the Yautja in the photograph as a Bad Blood? I just have to ask that, because that's honestly something I cannot get out of my head right now." Questioned Alexa after taking a sip of her wine. Scar clicked his mandibles before responding.

"The tattoos he had all over his body. Only Bad Bloods bear such appalling symbols on their flesh, and they all sicken me." Replied Scar.

Alexa took another swig before posing him yet another inquiry on the same matter.

"Alright, but how did you recognize what clan he belonged to? Is there only one Bad Blood Yautja clan out there in the entire Milky Way Galaxy or something?" She queried once more.

"No, there is more than one Bad Blood clan out there. I just recognize the Forsaken Blades clan because of…a tragedy of my past." Scar said in response. Alexa tilted her head in confusion.

"What do you mean?" She asked him again, wondering just what kind of memory Scar was referring too. Whatever it was, this supposed catastrophe Scar hinted at must've happened many years before the two had met each other. It only made sense to Alexa, as everything in life needs a reason to happen.

Scar's head hung low more before he clicked his mandibles again. "That Bad Blood clan…they were responsible for the deaths of my parents when I was still a pup. Ever since they slaughtered my mother and father, I vowed to hold eternal hatred towards Bad Bloods. They have no place in our society, and they will ravage your world if they get the chance." He said with a voice that was equally as saddening as it was filled with anger.

It became clear to Alexa to why Scar was intolerant towards Yautja who had broken the sacred Honor Code. Not just because of how Cage tried to murder her in a defenceless state, but also because of a reason that was much more personal. Alexa of course found this new information about her Life Mate to be heartbreaking.

"Scar, I had no idea that your parents were deceased. Why didn't you ever tell me this before?" She questioned Scar again, curious to why he never brought this up before in the amount of time they had known each other in.

"Because this is a grudge of my own, and I didn't think you would trust me if I ever told you about it; especially after that incident with Cage." Scar said in response. Alexa honestly didn't even know what to say as a reply, so she just said nothing instead.

"I envy you, Alexa. Your parents still live and I know you converse with them. I may never get to meet them because you keep me isolated from this world and they will not see me in the same light that you do." He continued on with his monologue, droning on about the emptiness that could still be found in a new life with his dearest love.

Alexa could feel his inner pain, mixed feelings of umbrage, loss and desolation. Something that once looked fierce, strong and seemingly invincible now showed its true colours and exposed the inner hurt soul inside.

She set her wineglass down on the kitchen counter and walked over to the Yautja hunter. Placing one hand on the side of his head, she turned it to the side until her eyes met with his.

"If you told me about that grudge you had for Bad Bloods back then, I wouldn't trust you any less than I do now." Alexa replied with a sincere tone of voice.

"I am your Life Mate, Scar. It wasn't my fault for all of this to happen, but I promise that I can make it better for the both of us. You'll still keep your Yautja culture and maybe, just maybe, you will get the chance to meet my parents. Don't know how they'd feel if they found out I chose to be with an alien instead of another human though." She told the Yautja hunter that there was the possibility that this relationship would balance out in the future. Scar liked what he heard, but had to know that Alexa really did mean what she said this time around.

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Alexa." He said in response.

"I know that I can keep this one, I can just feel it." Alexa replied, as she truly did believe that this assurance she pledged upon their love would withstand amongst everything that stood in their path.

Through the brightest days and dreariest night, she was determined to carry onward; even in their darkest hours bound to arrive sooner than one could predict.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s note: Hey everyone, Cosmic Sword11 here yet again with another chapter for Predator and Prey. A lot of drama in this chapter and despite their transgressions against one another, they still remain together. It may be a tad longer that my chapters usually are, but as long as it’s written well and conveys my ideas in an intelligent manner then its fine with me. Also, you might want to be prepared for the next chapter. Let’s just say that it’s a little…something special. Anyway, without further redo, please remember to R&R if you are reading this on FFN, Wattpad or AO3. This is Cosmic Sword11 heading off now.


	16. Chapter 15 - Under Paya's Light

_Warning! The following chapter contains human X Yautja smut involving our two main characters. If you are not comfortable reading this chapter, feel free to skip it. Don't worry, there's won't be much to miss if you skip this chapter anyway. To those who are willing to read this particular chapter, just dive right in and enjoy._

* * *

**Chapter 15: Under Paya** **'** **s L** **ight**

With their relationship no longer being an enclosed secret unknown to all on Earth, Alexa and Scar had no idea what would lay ahead for them both.

Although the only other individual to currently know about their relationship was Pablo De Rosa, something about him gave away the strange fallacy that he might eventually tell the rest of Weyland-Yutani instead of keeping it all a secret. It was most likely his distrust of Scar for simply being an extra-terrestrial being with an otherworldly appearance, or maybe it wasn't.

Whatever the case was, it only added the already existing list of possible calamities likely to happen at any moment. Apparently a Bad Blood held in captivity and a bunch of vicious Xenomorphs didn't help matters at all either.

Even with all of this held in regard, Alexa and Scar continued to live their lives; but not the same as they were the night before. After it came to Alexa's attention that her sheltering actions resulted in Scar having a disconnection with his Yautja culture, she decided that allowing him a chance to hunt was the most suitable way of apologizing.

She was technically a Yautja by law too, but never thought twice about taking Scar's own heritage from him since her life was drastically different that his. Nonetheless, Alexa figured that he could be trusted with this new privilege she had granted him. If the Yautja race truly did value honor almost religiously, then it was highly unlikely that Scar would spill the blood of any innocent individual.

Only the most vile and wicked human souls would fall prey to this alien hunter's true might, that was without a doubt. While Scar may have been relatively young compared to most other Yautja hunters according to Alexa's knowledge, she knew that Scar himself would be smart enough to remember to keep his own tracks concealed during a hunt. Yautja were very intelligent creatures after all, so Alexa knew that there was nothing to fear in regards to Scar's actions on a hunt.

As long as she too kept below the radar and never acted to conspicuous to anyone unacquainted with this xenophilic and highly enigmatic relationship, neither one of them had anything to worry about. Or at least that is what Alexa had initially believed.

* * *

At the moment, Alexa sat in her living room and continued to read War of the Worlds. Though she knew that extra-terrestrial life within the Milky Way was almost certainly nothing like the way they were portrayed in this classic novel, Alexa still continued to immerse herself in the story. She simply wanted some peace and quiet and kicking back with a good book was always guaranteed to bring her tranquility whenever the Yautja hunter wasn't around.

For nearly an hour and a half, Alexa just sat there and read without any sort of disturbance to break the flow. Upon hearing the sounds of what she knew were Scar's footsteps, she looked up from the novel in her hands; only to be shocked with what she saw.

It was a bloody human skull right before her eyes, including its spinal cord which was still attached. Alexa dropped the book and was about to cry out in terror, until she realized what was really going on.

She could tell that Scar was just using his active camouflage to conceal himself, but he was never truly invisible around Alexa since she had figured out how to spot cloaked Yautja after her experience with the Shadow Hunter clan. This was just another one of his comical attempts to scare her, which Scar found to be quite humorous. A smile then formed on Alexa's face as the sudden fright went away.

"C'mon Scar, this again?" She questioned the Yautja hunter in a slightly tongue-in-cheek tone before he deactivated his active camouflage.

"I got you good, Alexa. Every time I do this, you always seem so surprised." Replied Scar.

He would always on occasion continue to give Alexa a jocular if not slightly macabre scare ever since he did the same with a Xenomorph carcass on the pyramid.

"Well that's because you sneak up on me and then show me one of those kill trophies. Honestly, a skull is the last thing I'd expect to see whenever I'm just trying to sit here and enjoy a decent book." Stated Alexa, explaining to her Life Mate why the element of surprise always worked whenever Scar tried to scare her in his own little attempts at dark humour.

"I suppose you are right, Alexa." Scar said in response as he placed the skull on top of the coffee table. Alexa couldn't help but fixate on the bloody human skull that now sat in her living room, knowing that Scar had just claimed it as his next kill trophy within the past hour. She just had to know, who exactly was this individual Scar killed on his hunt today? This question found itself stuck inside her mind and it wouldn't leave until Alexa had received an answer of some kind.

"Scar, who was this person you killed?" Asked Alexa with curiosity clearly present in her words.

Scar turned his head and looked at her with a confused expression on his face.

"Why do you wish to know about this deceased ooman, Alexa?" Questioned Scar, wondering just why his Life Mate desired this specific information.

"Well, if I'm going to allow you to hunt; the least I should get in return is knowing who exactly you killed, Scar." Replied Alexa, stating that it was only fair for her to also be aware of the human lives he was taking away. Scar acknowledged Alexa's words, for he was certain that she would understand why he had chosen this specific human as his prey.

He took a seat next to his Life Mate on the couch and grabbed the skull off the table. Holding it up to Alexa, Scar clicked his mandibles before finally elucidating on his most recent kill.

"This ooman…I saw him in a dark alleyway with another ooman, pinning a dagger against her throat. I am not quite sure if he was intending to kill her or rape her, but I would've killed him either way." Explained Scar, painting a clear picture in Alexa's mind.

She knew what to expect from Scar, given how he had also brutally murdered the gang members who tried to sexually violate her. He had essentially developed zero tolerance towards rape and unlawful killings during his journey with his Life Mate, to which Alexa had to admit was pleasant to know. This Yautja hunter may have looked like a beast to any normal human, but Alexa knew that Scar was truly a saint at heart.

"Well, at least he got what deserved." Said Alexa in response, glad to know that the world was now rid of another rotten soul.

This caught Scar off-guard, as he thought that Alexa still held onto her pacifistic beliefs that death shouldn't be a punishment given to notorious individuals, no matter how heinous and wretched their crimes were. To hear her say that she was relieved about this man's murder at the hands of Scar was…unforeseen to say the least.

"I thought that you didn't believe in killing disgraceful oomans, Alexa?" He questioned out of pure mystification. It just didn't make sense to him for Alexa to reconsider her lifelong sentiments in such a short time span.

"I don't, but I understand that it would be the honourable thing to do in your culture, Scar. However, that doesn't mean that I could kill another human being. Not after the Antarctic expedition." Replied Alexa.

Unfortunately, her retort only seemed to attract more questions than answers.

"What do you mean? You killed another ooman before we met?" The Yautja hunter inquired again.

"Yes, Scar. During the Antarctic expedition where I met you, well…You remember Pablo De Rosa?" Said Alexa, bringing up the name of her co-worker to Scar's perplexity.

He cocked his head in confusion before responding.

"Uh…yes. What does he have to do with this?" Scar said in reply.

"One of the members of that expedition was his brother Sebastian. He became infected with a Xenomorph embryo and I had no choice but to take his life in the form of a mercy killing. I tried to resist, but Sebastian demanded that I was to end his life just so I could make it out of the pyramid alive. Every day, I wake up with that regret still lingering in my mind." Explained Alexa in a desolate tone.

Her head hung low as she tried to hold back tears from flowing out. She then felt Scar place an open claw on her shoulder as he brought her closer to him.

"That is nothing to be ashamed of, Alexa. I don't blame you for his death, I blame the Kiande Amedha. You did what you had to survive, and here we are now. We would have both been killed back there if you did not comply with Sebastian's last dying command." Scar cooed to Alexa, trying his best to comfort her.

He truly believed that the death of this man who he never met wasn't at the fault of his Life Mate.

The comforting behaviour of the Yautja hunter whom she loved so dearly made Alexa realize that maybe she wasn't the one to be held accountable for the tragic death of Sebastian De Rosa. Either way, he would've died regardless if she killed him right then and there or not.

"I…I suppose you're right, Scar." She said in response to Scar's uplifting words and actions towards her. "Do not blame yourself, Alexa. As long as we are together here, the death of this ooman male will not be held in yours or anyone else's responsibility." Scar stated once more as he gently nuzzled the side of her head. Alexa reconsidered reprehending herself for Sebastian's demise, deciding that perhaps it was best to just put it behind herself and move on. After all, fixating on a past event one regretted despite not taking the blame wasn't the wisest thing to do.

The two of them just continued to sit there on the sofa together, holding each other closer for a brief moment. During this little instant of affection, Scar tenderly ran his claws through Alexa's hair. He loved the sweet feminine scent of his Life Mate's mane and also the pure delicacy of its own nature. To him, it was so alien yet so alluring at the same time. Alexa didn't mind the Yautja hunter playing around with her hair, because it too brought a relaxing feeling to her as well.

Considering how strong Scar's claws really were, it was a delight to be graced with such mild and soothing caresses from him.

It showed just how much he truly loved her just from the smallest things one could do as a way of displaying passion for someone, even if they themselves were not the same species. This went on until Alexa finally decided break herself free from Scar's gentle claws.

* * *

She then started to prepare dinner for that evening, a meal which she was certain that Scar would enjoy. Instead of the usual fares of steak, pork chops or chicken; Alexa decided to spice things up a bit and make a roast for that night. It had been such a long time since she had a decent roast dinner and she also figured that it would go well with what she had planned later on that very evening.

While Alexa continued to work around in the kitchen, Scar placed the new fresh skull up on the shelf where all of his other kill trophies were shown with a proud display; adding yet another human skull in his grand collection.

The mouth-watering smell of whatever Alexa was cooking up in there was making Scar's stomach rumble with desperation, just to get a taste of this indisputably delicious meal made at the hands of his Life Mate. For some odd reason unknown to him, Alexa was taking a much longer time than usual to prepare this specific dish.

Like the Yautja he was, Scar did not entirely grasp the concepts of cooking meat; so he assumed that perhaps Alexa was roasting must've been a kind of human fare that needed to be cooked for a longer than usual period. It was merely just a guess, but what Scar didn't know was that it wouldn't be the only divine thing he would end up tasting that night.

Eventually, Alexa called out to the Yautja hunter. "Scar, dinner's ready!"

Upon hearing these words, he came rushing into the kitchen; eager to get his fill on the luscious meal she had prepared that evening. The smell was driving his stomach mad, as Scar felt that he could not wait any longer.

"It's about time; I thought that roast you were making would take forever." Replied Scar as he took a seat at the dinner table.

"Trust me, Scar, all that waiting will pay off." Alexa said in response, plating them each a serving of this lip-smacking roast beef along with the sides she had also prepared too.

As she set a plate in front of Scar, he was met with a marvellous sight ready to be devoured. Before him was a reasonably sized dollop of roast beef and mashed potatoes fit well enough for a Yautja hunter's appetite. He then grabbed his fork, scooped up some of this captivating meat and ate it. Needless to say, Scar was indeed pleased with the meal he had received.

"It's…it's delicious, Alexa." Said Scar as he took another mouthful without any hesitation.

"I knew you'd like it, Scar. I was hoping that it would be fitting for a special occasion tonight." Alexa replied as she sat down at the table with her own plate of food; which contained much less meat than Scar's and some assorted steamed vegetables included.

The Yautja hunter became confused by her previous statement. Titling his head in confusion, he did not understand what she meant by a "special occasion" happening tonight. Whatever she was referring to, Scar had to find out.

"What do you mean, Alexa?" He questioned his Life Mate. Alexa looked up from her dinner with a look on her face that could only mean one thing; she was planning something intimate for the both of them.

"Well, remember how you mentioned before that we aren't technically considered Life Mates until we…have sex?" She said in response, causing Scar's eyes to light up in the process.

"I know where you're going with this, Alexa; and I like it." He retorted with much delight.

"I think it's been a long enough wait for both of us, Scar. Tonight, let's make our relationship official." Replied Alexa, her tone of voice making it clear that she wanted to take things to the next level.

As to be expected, Scar was beyond thrilled to finally be given what he wanted most from this human female; not sex, but a bond enthralling them both under Paya's light. He wanted her to himself, not to any other male; human or Yautja alike.

Keen on getting a chance to mate and bond with Alexa at long last, Scar ate his dinner at a pace that was quicker than usual yet still allowing him to savour its exquisite taste and not rush through. She could tell that food wasn't the only thing that he was hungry for.

"Woah, hold your horses there, Scar. Just because we're gonna have sex tonight doesn't mean you gotta eat that fast. Relax, slow down a little." Alexa said in response to Scar's rather dubious table manners this particular evening.

Knowing that he should just follow the advice of his soon-to-be official Life Mate, Scar decided that perhaps it would be best if he slowed down. After all, it wasn't like today would be his last day to live on Earth or any other planet. With that set in mind, Scar eased down and continued to finish his meal at at a much more leisurelier pace.

* * *

After dinner had been finished between the two, Alexa went into her bedroom and began to prepare everything for this special night together. She wanted it to be perfect since the first time Life Mates in Yautja culture would engage in an act of coitus was a dedicated ritual meant to seal a solemn bond between each other. While Scar and Gua'ytaan receptively hadn't been entirely clear to what exactly happens in this Yautja mating practice, Alexa figured that it shouldn't be too different from what humans had to offer.

Not only that, but Alexa also wanted to set the right mood and atmosphere for the bedroom before it would begin. If this was the first time she and Scar would mate together, it had to be special to better fit the ceremonial tradition of formally becoming Life Mates within Yautja law.

While Alexa continued to set up a fitting vibe for such a grand night in each other's lives, she thought about taking another step further. Rustling through her closet, she found a nice pair of lingerie that seemed just about perfect for this occasion. Alexa couldn't remember why she even bought these in the first place, but now was not the time to ponder about it. She decided to change out of the normal clothes she had on and wear these fancy undergarments instead, even though she was unsure how Scar himself would react to seeing her wearing them.

Alexa didn't even know what turned him on, so this was just a blind shot in the dark to try and see what she could do to get his alien motor running, as some might say it. She took a quick glance at herself, agreeing with her conscience that the black lingerie looked quite amorous on her body; going as far to say that it was complementary to her ebony coloured skin.

If Scar truly loved her as much as he so dearly claimed, then he would've viewed her as gorgeous regardless. Alexa decided that she should add the final touches to the bedroom with the use of some scented candles, creating the ideal ambiance for some vivid intimacy between star-crossed lovers.

Everything now seemed perfect for this very special night between human and Yautja to begin. All she had to do know was wait for Scar to enter, and the heavenly bond of mating for the first time would soon commence. She then climbed onto the bed and laid down in a seductive position, one knee up at an almost 90 degree angle.

"I'm ready for you, Scar." She called out for her Yautja Life Mate, more ready than ever.

Within seconds, the sounds of Scar's heavy footsteps could be heard as he entered the bedroom, wearing nothing more than his loincloth and a traditional Yautja necklace around his neck. The look in his eyes said that he too was fervent on finally getting a chance to breed with Alexa.

"As am I." The Yautja hunter replied as he walked over to the bed and sat down next to Alexa.

Scar took a glance at his soon-to-be Life Mate and thought to himself for just a brief moment. Years ago, he would've never once considered the likes of oomans or any extra-terrestrial creatures like them to be so…beautiful. Alexa changed his views on humanity forever, and here he was about to be mated to one. This was the future he never knew he wanted, right before his eyes and no doubt he was bound to claim it as his own. He reached a claw over to Alexa's face, gently stroking the Mark of Honor burned into her flesh.

While Scar found Alexa's bodily figure to be attractive, the blemish on her face was what he found most alluring of all. It wasn't just because it reminded him of the true hunter found inside her blood, but also because many other Yautja were turned on by them too. As the Yautja Hunter lightly caressed her face, Alexa felt the strong build of his body, ripped and muscular enough to be considered a hunk; a term commonly used by human females.

Of course, what really caught Alexa's eye was the massive welt found on his chest; forever cementing the Yautja's own name. She couldn't help but think that he could've died right then and there in Antarctica; but he pulled through like a trooper and here they were now.

Scar then met his own eyes with Alexa's as they just stared into each other's gaze for a few seconds before inching slowly forward for a kiss.

This was a human behaviour he tried so hard to imitate with his Yautja jaws for Alexa's sake, and fortunately he had significantly improved since the first time. Between this human female and a Yautja male, the kiss was truly divine as their tongues met each other in an intimate manner; a moment to be cherished between them both for as long as it would last.

Eventually the kiss broke, leaving the two lovers there staring at each other yet again.

"You're getting pretty good at kissing, Scar. That was even better than last time." Said Alexa, breaking the silence between them.

"Thank you." Replied Scar, proud that his efforts to learn this human practice had in fact paid off.

Suddenly, a new thought came into Scar's mind, one that he could not ignore. While he himself had casually mated with a few other female Yautja before in his past, years before he met Alexa; Scar wondered if she was the same as him. It was entirely possible that she may have mated with a human male at least once before in her life, but Scar could never be so sure. He felt the need to ask her about it.

"Alexa, is this your first time mating with someone?" Scar inquired with impeccable interest. This was something he needed to know before the real intimacy between each other would begin. She shook her head in response.

"Yes, this is my first time having sex with anyone. Please be gentle, Scar." Alexa said in response. So that was it, his Life Mate had never bred with another man and she was still a virgin. To Scar, this made it extra special because it meant that she wanted him over anyone else in the galaxy.

"Don't worry, Alexa. I promise I won't bite." Scar replied in a rather flirtatious tone of voice.

He then grabbed a hold of Alexa's bosom, which just like the rest of her skin felt so soft and delicate to his Yautja claws. Of course, the very thin fabric of these rather striking undergarments she wore stood in the way. Eager to feel more, he ripped the clothing right off her body to reveal a nice pair of breasts before his eyes. While not as large as the female Yautja he had nonchalantly mated in his past, they were still reasonably sized and well enough to arouse him.

Alexa felt surprised as Scar tore the top of her garments clean off her skin, but for some odd reason she enjoyed it. Describing why could not be feasible as she too was unsure of her arousal from this action. Before she could even ponder why, another feeling overcame her. Scar had begun to fondle her breasts, a sudden sensation that gained eroticism from them both.

He squeezed them with ecstasy; yet not too much as to harm his Life Mate, all whilst rubbing one of her nipples using the edge of his claws sharp talons, causing it to become erect in the process. Alexa moaned out of pleasure, as this was a phenomenon the likes of her she never once experienced before in her life until this very night.

"Oh yes, Scar! Just like that!" She blurted out with elation filling her voice.

The Yautja hunter took notice of his Life Mate's gratification of his sexual doings, so he opted to do the exact same to her other breast.

While this stirred up more pleasured wails from Alexa's mouth, Scar began to feel his loincloth tighten around his crotchal region. By no doubt he was becoming aroused just like Alexa and hidden away behind this traditional piece of Yautja attire was a throbbing erection. That was when he stopped messing around with her bosom and began to undo the latches that held the loincloth in place. All Alexa could do now was wait for him to unveil his alien genitalia to her.

She honestly didn't know what to expect it to even look like, so it was all a surprise in her mind. In fact, Alexa couldn't care less about what its appearance was at all; for she loved Scar because of the earnest man he was on the inside, not his monstrous and otherworldly exterior. Finally, Scar had undone the final latch holding his loincloth in place and it fell clean off, revealing a fully erect Yautja member right before Alexa's eyes.

To her astonishment, it actually looked somewhat humanoid. There were the same kinds of spots found all over his body here too, it had a rather pointed tip at the end compared to a human's and green veins could also be seen along its sides as well. Hanging bellow it were two testicles, slightly larger than most human males had to offer. Scar's member was also much heftier than the average human penis, but Alexa figured that she would be able to manage with it tonight.

Grabbing a hold of Scar's hardened length and feeling its radiating heat; she began to gently stroke it with a slow yet steady motion.

The Yautja hunter let out a series of faint, pleasured trills in response. He was undeniably enjoying this little gesture, and so was Alexa too. She sensed her nether regions getting wet, indicating that she too was experiencing arousal. With her other hand, Alexa reached in between her legs from behind and felt the moistened fabric, dampened by the fluids from her womanhood.

No doubt she wanted to feel him inside her, as this would make her the first human in recorded history to ever have sexual intercourse with an extra-terrestrial being. Continuing to stroke Scar's shaft, the temptation was just far too strong for Alexa to resist.

Eventually letting go and catching the Yautja's attention in the process, Alexa began to pull down her panties and revealing her vagina to Scar's eyes. He took a glance downward, surprised to find hair in this particular region of her body but still welcomed it nonetheless.

"Are you ready to take me, Scar?" She questioned the Yautja hunter, arranging herself in a position on the bed so that Scar would be on top of her tonight.

"More than ever, Alexa." Scar said in response as he situated himself over his Life Mate with his fully erect member poking at the folds or her soaking wet entrance.

The bond to seal them both as lifelong partners under Paya's light was about to begin. A delay that felt like an eternity towards Scar now ending with a night of pleasure, it was like a gift from Paya herself in the Yautja's own perception.

He could wait no longer with his own primal urges overwhelming temptation and fueling his desire to mate with his human female. Scar had to make her his official Life Mate, right here and right now.

He slowly and carefully pushed himself into Alexa's tight entrance, only to be blocked by her virgin hymen halfway.

Without warning, Scar forced it in even deeper and broke Alexa's virginity in the process. She yelped in slight pain for a second, which in turn caught the attention of Scar. He stopped and looked at her, afraid that he may have accidentally harmed her. It was not his intention and perhaps he lost control when his animalistic instincts kicked in.

Alexa took notice of Scar's sudden hesitation, knowing just what it was that held him back.

"I'm fine, Scar. Just keep going." She said in response, clearly not hurt in any way that would concern the Yautja hunter at all.

Scar sighed out of relief before immediately continuing on with prodding deep into Alexa's womanhood. To him, she felt so narrow inside as the walls of her tunnel clamped onto his shaft. With every further thrust he gave, Alexa's folds only seemed to grow even hotter and wetter. She could not believe how big he felt inside her and was certain that his size was gradually larger than the average human male for all she knew. Even so, this experience filled each other with so much euphoria they both knew that they couldn't bear to stop so soon.

Scar in fact felt like he was in paradise, as none of the other mating sessions he had with Yautja females before in his life could hold a candle to this. He was not sure why, whether it was the stunning beauty of Alexa Woods or the simple point that he just so happened to enjoy sexual intercourse; but the Yautja hunter was relishing it either way regardless. Alexa was moaning out of sensuality, revelling in each moment of this sacred Yautja mating bond. Scar too let out a pleasured grunt every now and then as well.

The two lovers then reached their faces together for another tender kiss as Scar opened his mandibles up nice and wide for his Life Mate. As their tongues met each other in a battle over one's dominance with the exchange of saliva, they continued on with a steady motion.

Alexa then broke the kiss between the two and started to moan even louder than before. Scar figured that she must be close to an orgasm, as he could feel her vaginal walls starting to constrict around his member. While he himself was not quite there yet, Scar knew that he just had to keep on thrusting. Maintaining the flow as he continued to pull himself in and out of Alexa's warm, soaking womanhood; the Yautja hunter persisted with such primal desire in his veins.

"Scar, I-I'm coming!" Alexa yelped, under the power of euphoria.

By no doubt, Scar had found what he could only assume was her G-spot. In no time at all, she finally came; discharging her womanly juices all over Scar's length.

Letting out a pleasured wail unlike ever before and grabbing a hold of Scar in a tight bear hug as he carried on, her first climax experience filled her with much jubilation and thankfully; it was not over quite yet. Scar felt Alexa's orgasm, as the contractions inside her tunnel grew rapidly. By now the walls inside her were practically milking Scar's member for his seed, and it wouldn't be long before he would finally release too.

After a few more thrusts, Scar began to grunt louder than usual then bucking his hips shortly before his ejaculation arrived at last. Letting out an almost animalistic howl as he came, filling Alexa's womb with his love; a new sensation that Alexa could only imagine years ago.

With the size of his length and the possibility that it had been a while since he had mated with another woman, it was safe to say that Scar fired a generous amount of semen inside her. Nevertheless, the Yautja mating ritual was now complete. A sacred bond sealed under Paya's light according to Yautja legends, sure enough to last for as long as these two interspecies lovers remained together.

Both star-crossed lovers took a moment to look at each other once again, equally panting from the wondrous experience of that very night. Alexa then reached over to Scar and rested the palm of her hand on the side of his face.

"Scar…" She said, in almost dream-like tone.

"Alexa." Scar replied, sounding much like a deeper and raspier version of her own as he too caressed her face once more.

"We're now officially Life Mates…together until death does us part." Said Alexa, realizing what the future meant for her and the Yautja that was her significant other.

It filled her heart with joy, as she could no longer imagine a life in love with another man besides Scar. Despite being different species, it seemed like this Yautja hunter and human female were destined to end up bonded unlike anyone else before.

"Indeed we are. Now begins another new life for us together." Scar said in response, acknowledging that this very night initiated a whole new chapter of life; both for human and Yautja alike.

He then lay down on the bed next to Alexa, happier than he ever was before in his entire life. Choosing the perfect Life Mate was a challenging task for many Yautja choosing to take this route in their lives, so it was safe to say that Scar had chosen the perfect mate for his taste. It didn't matter to him that she was a human because all the Yautja hunter could see inside was one of his own kind; and the same could be said about Alexa too.

For the rest of the evening until the edge of night, they just laid in Alexa's bed and cuddled together until they both fell asleep in each other's arms. It was an inexplicable feeling for them all, both wishing that it would never end and the world around them would remain at peace.

Little did they know however, the future of the Shadow Hunter clan would never be the same, beginning from this very night numerous light years away from Earth; and it wouldn't be for the better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: Hey everyone, Cosmic Sword11 here with this brand-new chapter for Predator And Prey. This honestly my first time publishing any kind of smut and hopefully it's not too cringy in contrast to the rest of the story I have written. I'm not really a smut writer but I wanted to have one sex scene in this story, I'm sure some of you guys understand. So anyway, please remember to R&R regardless if you are reading this on FFN, AO3 or Wattpad. Without any ruther rambling on, this is Cosmic Sword11 signing off.


	17. Chapter 16 - A Massacre Most Vile

 

**Chapter 16: A Massacre Most Vile**

Not too far away from Earth stood the Alpha Centauri System, another arrangement of solar bodies approximately 4.367 light years away from the home world of humanity. Inside this celestial formation was a gas giant called Polyphemus and orbiting that planet was a moon known as Pandora. The mothership of the Shadow Hunter Yautja clan was leaving the atmosphere of this immensely primitive world after a successful hunt was carried out by several of the clan's most renowned hunters.

These Yautja hunters had chosen to hunt members of a race of blue humanoids with incredibly slender bodies that even towered over them by a couple feet. This alien species called themselves Na'vi. While they were not the only race of blue-skinned humanoids within the Milky Way Galaxy known to the Yautja peoples; as quite a few Yautja hunters recognized the Asari, the Na'vi of Pandora were beyond primeval.

Possessing only the bare bones of technology, the natives of this world were considered acceptable prey to hunt as doing so would most likely not find the Yautja of the Shadow Hunter clan caught up in any affairs with foreign galactic powers. Most of these galactic governments actually had very little knowledge regarding this small moon orbiting a gas giant, making it a nearly perfect hunting ground for the likes of Yautja hunters.

The only catch however, was that the atmosphere of this particular moon world was toxic due to the dangerous levels of xenon present within the air. This required Yautja hunters choosing to seek prey on Pandora to wear their bio-masks at all times since another one of their many functionalities besides providing thermal heat vision was also acting as a gas mask to put it bluntly.

Of course, the veteran hunters of the Shadow Hunter clan were well-experienced enough to pursue worthy game on this rather precarious world. They knew how to stay alive against the many hazards brought by the nature of Pandora's biosphere.

What they didn't know however, was that a recent exiled traitor would return with a raging bloodthirst and a group of other fellow Bad Bloods to seek revenge for his banishment from the clan.

* * *

Aboard the clan's mothership, the Yautja hunters Wolf and Chopper had just returned from their hunt and were now about to add their latest kill trophies to their proud collections. Walking through the corridors of the ship's interior, the two of them conversed with one another about their most recent pursuit of worthy prey.

" **You have to admit it, Chopper; Pandora really is a beautiful world.** " Stated Wolf, avowing that he truly thought this particular moon, remotely located in neutral space to be a spectacle for one's eyes to see for themselves.

" **True, Pandora may be beautiful; but it is also quite dangerous. We must never let our own eyes deceive ourselves, Wolf. You never know where evil could be hiding.** " Replied Chopper, agreeing with his brother's previous declaration regarding the grandeur of Pandora; yet reminding him that underneath its shiny exterior laid a threat holding some kind of power that one should not be foolish to underestimate.

Wolf was not sure what the supposed threat of Pandora really was. Could it be the ferocious wildlife? The toxic atmosphere or perhaps even the Na'vi too? Maybe the true answer to this inquiry could not even be related to Pandora at all. It was certainly a question whose answer could only be found through the means of interpretation, which was for certain.

" **Of course, brother.** " Said Wolf in response.

" **Still, we both did a great job on our hunt. These Na'vi skulls will make fine additions to our collections.** " Chopper replied this time with a sense of buoyancy present in his words, holding up the bloody Na'vi skull in his grasp.

Wolf then took a glance at his own, feeling gratified about his success out on the field yet again; but a sudden touch of emptiness struck him from behind. He had been hunting for most of his entire life, but sometimes felt like he wanted something else instead of the ability to hunt. It may have been a cultural norm for the likes of Yautja among the galaxy; but Wolf had to admit that it got a little boring after a while. Even travelling to new far off and alien worlds just to find a new kill trophy from a notorious individual belonging to a primitive species didn't seem to make it more exciting for him all the time. Even so, it was still his duty as a blooded Yautja to partake in these sanctified hunts; whether he liked it or not.

" **I…suppose you are correct, Chopper.** " Wolf said as he looked away from his latest kill trophy.

The two Yautja brothers continued to walk together through the corridors until a familiar face met them in the distance, one of the clan's healers and Wolf's own sister by blood, Gua'ytaan.

" **So, brother. How was your hunt? I take it went well since you both are back in one piece.** " The female Yautja healer spoke as she met up with her blood brother Wolf and his companion.

" **It certainly was, sister. But do not expect me to return to Pandora ever again. That planet may look beautiful, but it's a risky hunting ground for just about any skilled hunter.** " Replied Wolf, stating that he had no further desires to revisit this isolated moon ever again for the rest of his life.

" **Well did you two at least find some worthy prey?** " Gua'ytaan asked with faith that her brothers had found themselves admirable kill trophies; to which they both raised up the fresh Na'vi skulls in unison. She seemed impressed with their efforts, despite not being a hunter in her own right.

Just about any Yautja could appreciate a meritorious kill trophy without even experiencing a hunt firsthand, including healers just like herself.

" **Then I guess it paid off, didn't it?** " Replied the female healer as she continued to walk down the ship corridor, minding her own business.

Wolf and Chopper both unanimously agreed that their most recent hunt had been quite laudable, so the words of Gua'ytaan had to be true. Yet despite this, neither one of them were in the right mood to celebrate at all. Wolf honestly just wanted to head back to his personal quarters, lie down on his bed and get some well-deserved rest. It was another part of Yautja hunting rituals that he was not a fan of, but tolerated it anyway. Many other hunters concurred with this, as the usual post-hunt agenda involved resting first and then celebrating afterwards.

" **Well I'm off to get some sleep, Chopper. The hunt kind of wore me down a bit.** " Wolf said to his brother, informing him about his whereabouts for the next several hours.

" **I should probably rest too. I'll see you later, Wolf.** " Chopper replied before he too walked away from Wolf and eventually coming across his own private quarters on the ship.

It wasn't long before Wolf finally entered his room; where he immediately threw his hunting equipment on the ground, walked over to the bed and collapsed onto it. Closing his eyes, Wolf was hoping that he would get at least a few decent hours of undisturbed rest following his hunt on Pandora. Unfortunately, his sleep was to be cut short due to a tragic bloodbath that would forever scar the Shadow Hunter Yautja for aeons to come.

* * *

Meanwhile on the mothership's bridge, Elder Zechaot stood amongst several other members of the clan as they operated on computer monitors controlling the various systems built into the spacecraft itself.

Everything seemed to be relatively normal, just another day of navigating through the stars after a successful hunt. The Yautja Elder had stopped by to run a casual observation of the bridge before meeting with the other clan elders for an important meeting. So far, he had been pleased with what he had seen.

He was just about to depart when one of the bridge's computer monitors began to pick up a strange signal and started emanating a loud beeping noise. Elder Zechaot took notice of this and immediately turned around.

" **What's going on? What have the scanners picked up?** " He questioned the Yautja operating the computer.

" **Something is coming out of lightspeed, the signal of another clan's mothership.** " The Yautja responded as he analyzed the data being shown onscreen.

" **Can you identify which clan that ship belongs to?** " Elder Zechaot asked him once more. The Yautja glanced back at the monitor, which now displayed a list of known Yautja clans within the Milky Way Galaxy. It ran through every single one listed, but found no matching beacon; just a scrambled mess.

" **Negative, Elder. It's not matching any of the known clans in our database.** " Replied the Yautja. With that information set in mind, Elder Zechaot realized what kind of threat was now looming over the entire Shadow Hunter clan.

Only the motherships of Bad Blood clans had a masked and heavily distorted signal to better conceal themselves from any suspecting clans unlucky enough to be within their reach. That very starship about to exit lightspeed belonged to a clan of Bad Bloods and no doubt they had come to wreak carnage in the territory of another Yautja dynasty.

Elder Zechaot knew that the entire clan must be put on high alert straightaway before the bloodshed of another clan could be spilt.

" **Sound the alarm and assemble all hunters! We have a Bad Blood clan attempting to assail our mothership!** " The Yautja elder ordered with a fretful, commanding tone of voice.

His fellow brethren obeyed without any further deferral and activated the mothership's danger signal, causing a loud blaring siren to fill every room and corridor of the ship almost immediately. As the alarm continued to trill, Elder Zechaot bowed his head low and muttered to himself.

" **Paya help us all.** " He said, praying to the goddess of his people; that the Shadow Hunter clan would survive in desperate times as such.

The fate of this proud Yautja bloodline was now hanging in the balance with its future unclear to even the most prestigious hunters found within.

* * *

With the warning siren deafening throughout the mothership's interior, Wolf was prematurely woken up after receiving only about a half hours' worth of rest.

The shrill noise caused him to wake up in a pool of his own sweat, gasping out of fear. He could not believe what was going on at all, was the clan really under an imminent threat? Whatever the reason was, Wolf knew that there was no time to waste.

As he swiftly climbed out of his bed and began to strap his gauntlets back on, there was a knock on the door. Wolf quickly dashed over the console on the wall near the door's entrance and pressed the correct button to unlock it. The second after doing so, the blast door flew open to reveal his sister Gua'ytaan who apparently looked just as if not even more frightened than he was.

" **Brother, the clan is under attack!** " She said to him in a voice that sounded so full of panic and terror.

" **What?! Who is attacking us then?!** " Wolf questioned, demanding to know just who or what was trying to lash out and destroy his very bloodline. He needed this knowledge if he was to fight for the sake of his clan to survive this bloody massacre about to take place.

" **The Elders think it may be Bad Bloods, but I fear that something far worse awaits us.** " Replied Gua'ytaan, dreading for the worst as she normally did in dire times like these.

Wolf was not sure what exactly she meant by that statement, but if Bad Bloods were truly impending over the Shadow Hunter clan, then he was determined to fight no matter what his chances for living were. Strapping his gauntlet back on, hosting his Yautja whip made from a Xenomorph's tail and unsheathing his wrist blades, he responded to his sister by blood with much determination in his speech.

" **If Bad Bloods think they can bring forth the downfall of our clan, then my brothers and I will show them Paya's true power.** " He said, unreservedly persistent in granting these disgraceful hunters their much deserved punishment.

Gua'ytaan however did not appreciate his enthusiasm, as she took it as rather inattentive.

" **Do not get yourself killed, Wolf. I'd hate to see a traitor murder my brother in cold blood.** " She retorted, urging Wolf not to die in the heart of this bloodbath soon to unfold very shortly.

" **I feel the same for you, Gua'ytaan.** " He said, affirming that he felt the same way for his dear sister. Neither one of these Yautja siblings wanted to bear witness to each other's demise and in this hour of uncertainty, both of their futures seemed so erratic and unpredictable.

A sudden thrashing blast of turbulence then struck the entire mothership, causing everything to shake violently for a solid 3 seconds. Not only that, but all life systems aboard dropped significantly during this massive surge too. Luckily, the artificial gravity and oxygen still remained and continued to operate above everything else. Yautja all over the mothership were left utterly flabbergasted of what just happened.

" **What in Paya's name was that?** " Questioned Gua'ytaan.

" **Those Bad Bloods must've used an ion cannon to paralyze our vessel. In any minute now, they'll try to board us.** " Replied Wolf, stating that these rogue Yautja had a plan to cripple the entire mothership; thus leaving the entire clan vulnerable to whatever kind of sickening tricks they had up their sleeves.

This all had to be planned out by their very own sinister minds, none of it could be a coincidence. Gua'ytaan could practically feel the skin on her body beginning to tremor with fear, as the mere thought of Bad Bloods breaking into the clan's mothership was more than enough to bring distress towards her. The female Yautja healer knew that in this given situation, she could run, she could hide; but most likely not make it out alive. Just then, Celtic and Chopper came running by through the corridor before stopping once their faces met up with Wolf.

" **What are you doing standing around, Wolf?! There is a crisis on our hands and we need all the clan's hunters rallied immediately!** " Celtic shouted at Wolf as he just stood in the doorway to his private quarters. Wolf knew what must be done and regardless if he would make it out alive or not, he knew that he had to risk his own life for the sake of his clan. Quickly turning around to Gua'ytaan once more, he gave her one last command.

" **Go and hide with the mothers, servants and the pups, sister. The hunters and I shall deal with these criminals.** " He instructed to her, running off with his fellow brethren to combat the Bad Bloods once they had boarded the mothership.

Before she could even ask where they were hiding inside the ship, they were gone from her line of sight.

Gua'ytaan then realized that the most likely place for them to take refuge in was the main storage compartment; which under normal circumstances was where the clan would store crates packed with food, weapons and also spare parts for the mothership itself. After all, with most of the ship's power lost, it wouldn't be possible to jettison them all using escape pods.

With no more time to waste, Gua'ytaan ran as fast as her own two legs could carry her to the ship's main storage compartment to hide and hopefully survive this bloody massacre about to unfold.

* * *

Gathered outside the main airlock of the mothership, the Shadow Hunter clan's warriors prepared themselves for a horde of traitors to charge through with malicious intent. They were given direct orders to defend the clan at all costs and would willingly die by the blade to ensure the safety of their own kin. While they were not soldiers, these Yautja hunters still held onto the patriotism of the clan they themselves were born into.

Each of these hunters were armed with their own weapon of choice; ranging from the common fare of wrist blades and combisticks to more exceptional armaments such as blazers and spear guns. As they waited for the blast doors to be opened, time around them all practically stood still.

Sounds of heavy breathing and the nervous clicking of one's mandibles could was all that could be heard among the hunters as they stood on the edge of a knife, remaining ever so vigilant. Soon enough, they could hear the sounds of what they could only assume were the airlock opening and then sealing again behind the shut blast door. In any possible second the skirmish would commence.

Out of the blue, the blast door was knocked clean off its hinges, falling downward with massive blow to the ground.

A mob of Bad Bloods then came running in with their weapons drawn, ready to kill for another sickening desire. One of the Yautja fired a blast from his shoulder mounted plasma caster, only to miss entirely. The Bad Blood then drew out a shuriken, unfolding its six sharp blades before charging at the hunter. With one swift slash, the blades of the shuriken cut through the hunter's flesh with ease; effortlessly shearing his arm clean off his body. He began to scream at the top of his lungs out of pain and agony as his lime-green blood came spewing out like a river.

Wolf watched the carnage unfold and then charged at the Bad Blood using his wrist blades, stabbing them directly into the traitor's chest. Withdrawing them from the fresh deceased body and retracting them back into his gauntlets, he dragged his wounded brother away from the ongoing massacre as he continued to witness it all. Another one of the Bad Bloods armed with a burner fired a series of plasma shots from the rifle, with one of them hitting one of the hunter's in the face, singeing his skin in the process. He took cover behind another fellow hunter as he began to brutishly claw at his own face, desperately trying to make the scorching pain go away. Chaos was all that could be seen and heard, effectively turning this Yautja clan mothership into a warzone.

Wolf finally dragged the injured hunter away from the pandemonium unfolding, leaving behind a trail of his lime-green blood painting the floor. He was still crying out in anguish, as the pain was far too much for even a skilled veteran hunter to bear.

" **Stay with me, brother! We'll make it out alive!** " Wolf called out to the dying Yautja, optimistic that the Shadow Hunter clan would live another day following this massacre. His croaking brother then grabbed a hold of Wolf's claw and then spoke to him in a fading voice.

" **No, Wolf. Save yourself…kill those Bad Bloods…We…are…done for.** " The Yautja hunter spoke before his vital signs finally dropped due to rapid blood loss.

As Wolf stood up from the body of his now late comrade, he knew that there was no way that this clan could survive on their own against the wrath of these invading Bad Bloods. He could only think of one way to summon aid in this desperate time of need, signalling a clan of Enforcer Yautja to help deal with the chaos that was tearing their own bloodline to shreds by the minute.

It had to be done; otherwise the Shadow Hunter clan would soon be turned to ruins.

Just then, another Bad Blood charged at Wolf with a scimitar in hand, ready to slaughter him too. Fortunately, Wolf was quick enough to react with a counterattack. He unsheathed his wrist blades once more and stabbed the Bad Blood in his lower jaw, causing the blades to penetrate his skull from the down up. As he retracted his wrist blades again, the fresh corpse of the disgraceful warrior collapsed onto the ground.

Wolf knew that the clan would not be able to hold out for long, maybe even not at all without the aid of Enforcer Yautja. These Bad Bloods were engulfing the clan's hunters one by one, making every second that passed by become even gloomier than the last. The sickening sounds of blades tearing through flesh and the tormented scowls of his brothers only further cemented that terror into Wolf's mind as they continued to ravage on behind him.

He ran down the ship's corridors, making his way towards the bridge. Contacting the nearest kinfolk of Enforcers was the only option left now if the Yautja of the Shadow Hunter clan were desirous to live onward, which indeed they were.

As Wolf sprinted down the halls, he distraughtly hoped that time had not run out just yet for his bloodline's own existence.

* * *

As the bloodbath at the main airlock entrance continued to rage on, a familiar and blemished face of a disgraced hunter once part of the Shadow Hunter clan stepped inside. He held a spear gun in one claw and a dagger in the other. The traitor then walked through the gory mess that coated the floors and walls until he came across a wounded hunter who was just barely alive, lying in a pool of his own blood with a dagger jabbed into his stomach and a badly charred face from a plasma blast.

Looking up at the Bad Blood standing before him, the injured Yautja took notice of how recognizable this particular hunter was. The tarnished face of the Bad Blood was a clear giveaway to his identity.

" **Cage? Is that you?** " Questioned the wounded Yautja hunter, incredulous if whether or not this Bad Blood was indeed who he thought he was. "

**Surprised to see me again, Chopper?** " He said in response with a sneer. The injured Yautja then narrowed his eyes in extreme detestation.

" **You bastard! You're trying to destroy our clan!** " Chopper blurted at Cage, knowing that he was now part of this pact of Bad Bloods and most likely the true reason why they trailed down the mothership of his former clan. Cage then began to cackle arrogantly.

" **Exactly. Consider this to be an act of revenge for abandoning me.** " Replied Cage before stabbing the injured hunter in his neck with his dagger, killing him almost instantly.

After pulling his blade out from the flesh of the now deceased Yautja at his feet, Ripper then walked through the entrance and examined the bloody clutter that he was greeted with. He could see that while a couple of his own Bad Bloods were killed, the majority of the Shadow Hunter clan warriors were slaughtered. Some had run off to possibly call in for assistance, or perhaps to save the other members from such merciless deaths for all he knew. Whatever the case was, this Yautja clan was guaranteed to meet its tragic downfall on this very day.

" **So this is the clan you once belonged to, Cage? It's pathetic, weak, and unruly. I can see why they neglected you in favour of a foolish Youngblood and a female ooman.** " The Super Yautja spoke, stating that he felt the hunters of this Yautja bloodline were feeble compared to the likes of his own.

" **Speaking of that Youngblood and female ooman, those kills are mine. It's impeccable that I take business into my own claws.** " Replied Cage, stating that he wished to slay both Alexa Woods and Scar by himself.

Ripper was understanding of this, as most of the hunters within his band of fugitives held grudges and yearned for the slaughters of their prey to be personal.

" **Very well then. You go find those sorry excuses for hunters, while I search for…other game.** " Said the Super Yautja as he turned to his left, heading towards the ship's main storage compartment.

Cage on the other hand, headed off in the opposite direction, straight for the bridge.  _Now, ooman. As you and that wretched Youngblood have forsaken me, you shall both pay with death._  He morbidly thought to himself, craving to murder them without mercy.

* * *

Inside the main storage compartment, Gua'ytaan hid along with the rest of the clan members unable to fight against the invading Bad Bloods. The sounds of petrified Yautja filled the air around them all huddled together in such a tight, enclosed space.

Mothers cooed to their pups, desperately trying to calm them down. Servants prayed to Paya herself in hopes for salvation in this nightmare. It was a sombre hour no doubt, with nothing more than uncertainty and fear trembling among each and every single one of them.

Gua'ytaan was no different, as she too along with the clan's servants beseeched upon their goddess to save them in such a desperate time of need.

Suddenly, the sound of heavy, thunderous footsteps that seemed far too hefty for any normal Yautja hunter could be heard from the inside out. This caused the murmurs to come to a screeching halt as the servants abruptly ended their prayers and the mothers silenced their anxious little pups; that eerie sound inching closer by the second. Gua'ytaan just like everyone else in the room could feel her heart beating rapidly as the horror on the other side stopped in front of the sealed blast door.

Time stood still for a brief moment, before a massive the door took a massive blow that dented it horribly.

The ear-splitting noise of metal chinking was enough to make everyone inside scream out of terror, especially from the unblooded pups far too young for their Chivas. Gua'ytaan felt like this was the end for her; for this was now the vision of how she imagined her demise would come.

In addition to experiencing overwhelming fright; her entire life flashed before her own eyes. All those fond memories of her past, all her regrets and the many faces she came to know; the road was concluding here and she was sure of it. The biggest regret of all surprisingly involved the blooded human female, Alexa Woods. She bewailed having not spent enough time with her while she was on the clan's mothership.

After all, Alexa herself said that she thought Gua'ytaan as the sister she never once had. Gua'ytaan truly believed that tonight she would meet her maker and never get the chance to see Alexa again. A second immense bash against the locked blast door caused her to lose her train of thought, falling to the ground again out of dread.

Whatever stood on the other side of that door was a monstrous beast that could even strike trepidation into the hearts of blooded Yautja hunters, at that very creature would be the one to take all of their lives away for certain. Or at least, that is what their panicking minds subconsciously told them all under the influence of fear itself.

* * *

At the entrance of the bridge, Wolf came running in with much fretfulness overcoming him. Upon noticing his arrival into the room, Elder Zechaot along with his fellow elder associates turned to face the deeply neurotic Yautja hunter.

" **Elder, the Bad Bloods have breached our defences and slaughtered half of our clan's hunters! We need to contact the Enforcer Yautja immediately or else we'll all be their prey tonight!** " He cried out to his leaders, stating that it was urgent that the clan needed to be reinforced without any further delay.

" **Dear Paya, what kind of Bad Blood clan have we crossed paths with?** " Questioned Elder Zechaot.

" **One that we cannot face alone apparently.** " Replied Wolf.

The Yautja elder knew that in order to save the rest of his treasured bloodline in the wake of this unholy skirmish, there was no other feasible option other than to summon the nearest clan of Enforcer Yautja. Even though the likelihood that the closest Enforcer Yautja clan was several light years away from their current position, Elder Zechaot knew what had to be done for the sake of his clan's survival.

" **Send out a distress beacon, and keep it hot!** " He ordered one of the Yautja operating on a computer console on the bridge.

" **Right away, Elder.** " The Yautja complied with his command, tapping in a series of commands that would activate the mothership's beacon to signal whenever the clan was in a state of imperious danger.

In no time at all, the beacon was activated. Now they had to wait for an Enforcer Yautja ship to pick up the signal being broadcasted; which wasn't going to easy one bit. Wolf however could not wait for any Enforcer Yautja to arrive on the scene, under the relentless fear lingering in his mind that the clan would fall before any Enforcers would even have a chance to reach their destination. He felt the need to know how long it would take.

" **When will the Enforcers get here, Elder?** " Wolf questioned him once more.

" **I cannot say for sure, Wolf. We'll just have to hold our breath until someone finally responds to our distress beacon.** " The Yautja elder said in response, informing him that this effort was nothing more than a leap of faith with no guaranteed chance of success.

Wolf didn't like it at all, but he knew that he had no other choice than to accept it. Just then, his brother Celtic came running by, only to alert him of another threat within the mothership as he spoke.

" **Wolf, one of the Bad Bloods is a Super Yautja and he's trying to bust open the main storage compartment!** " This not only caught Wolf's attention, but also the rest of the Elders and other Yautja present on the bridge too. They all gasped out of shock, utterly flabbergasted at what they had just heard.

" **A Super Yautja? I thought they were all wiped out!** " One of the elders said out of pure shock.

" **I thought so too, Elder, but it looks like we've been sadly mistaken.** " Replied Celtic. Knowing that his sister was still trapped inside, Wolf knew he had to step in and attempt to fend off the Super Yautja before he could slaughter more innocent souls.

" **Then there's no time to waste, brother. We must kill that Bad Blood immediately!** "

As the two Yautja hunters headed off to face off against the Bad Blood Super Yautja, another figure was approaching the bridge in the opposite direction they traveled in. That opposite figure was of course, Cage.

With his wrist blades out and a spear gun in his grasp, he was ready to commit a crime beyond anything as vile as he had already done in his fall from grace. Entering the doorway to the bridge, he aimed the spear gun at the Yautja elders present in the room. Pulling the trigger, a clean shot landed on the rear neck of one of the elders, killing him instantly.

As his lifeless body fell to the ground, the others turned around; only to be shot and killed by Cage's spear gun as well. He didn't stop there, as he continued to fire at the Yautja operating the ship's computers until only one other Yautja stood alive within the bridge, Elder Zechaot.

" **Cage? What have you done?! You were the one who organized this attack on our clan after we banished you, I'm sure of it!** " The lone Yautja elder spoke to the disgraced warrior in an agitated tone of voice when he discovered that he was the true reason why Bad Bloods were swarming the mothership. Cage then threw the spear gun on the ground.

" **You guessed right, Elder. And you know what else?** " He said in response as he slowly began to tread forward, taking out a dagger in the process.

Looking at Elder Zechaot right in the eyes, he brought the dagger up to his forehead and ran the blade through his flesh; carving a large X where the Mark of Honor was initially scarred. Cage flinched at the pain from his own self-infliction upon his skin, but carried on anyway. He then threw the dagger behind him, discarding it forever.

" **I'm now one with the Forsaken Blades, they are my family now. I brought them here to take back what you took from me.** " Cage stated, informing that he had opted for a new life of crime after facing exile.

Elder Zechaot of course, didn't take too kindly to this shocking revelation.

" **You betrayed all of us, Cage. Attempting to murder Alexa Woods, another hunter blooded by Yautja law. That is a direct violation of the sacred Honor Code and you know it very well! Now look at what you've done, murdered the elders of our clan in cold blood! Only a heartless creature with a tainted soul would dare preform acts that you have committed.** " He snapped at the Bad Blood standing before him, to which Cage simply rolled his eyes and shrugged it off.

" **Don't give me that, Elder. Alexa was never a true Yautja hunter, only a worthless little Pyode Amedha. I was only trying to keep it pure and wholesome, but you all turned your backs on me.** "

It was clear that Cage had never thought twice about his betrayal, about the possibility that maybe he was the one who had been in the wrong with his judgement clouded by prejudice against another species. He was continuing to stick to the close-minded creed that Alexa Woods was a false hunter and his devoted actions of maintaining a pure Yautja bloodline were met with nothing but treachery from his former peers.

The truth inside this Bad Blood's mind was sad, twisted and morally corrupted. Cage then pointed his wrist blades at the Yautja elder with malicious intent.

" **Now, tell me where Alexa Woods and Scar are at once!** " He demanded, eager to seek vengeance upon these two hunters for tarnishing his life. Knowing that he couldn't risk the lives of both Alexa and Scar while they lived abroad on planet Earth, Elder Zechaot refused to give Cage the answer.

" **You will not find them here, and I won't tell you where they have gone.** " The Yautja elder stated in response.

" **Maybe you didn't quite hear me…** " Cage said before slashing his wrist blades at Elder Zechaot, slicing off one of his mandibles in the process. As blood began to pour out, the Yautja elder clasped his claws against the wound, giving off a scream muffled by the palm of his claws.

" **Tell me Alexa and Scar's current location right now or else I'll have to kill you too.** " The Bad Blood insisted, threatening to take the life of the Elder he once admired many years ago.

" **Killing me will solve nothing, Cage. Paya knows it will only add to the sins you have already committed.** " Elder Zechaot said in response, trying his best to suppress the pain while urging the disgraced hunter to rethink his transgressions.

The sounds of his blood bubbling pouring onto the floor were mixed with his speech, creating a truly sordid noise in the process. He also could not fight back against Cage due to the aliment of his old age, weakening his strength significantly.

Unfortunately, the words of the wise Yautja elder were not enough to convince the Bad Blood otherwise. He then began to chuckle morbidly.

" **Paya has abandoned me, this clan forsaken me; and you, Elder Zechaot…** " Cage said as he wiped the lime-green blood off his wrist blades.

He then looked at the Yautja elder right in the eyes before stabbing him the abdomen. As he roared in pain and agony before lowering his head, the Bad Blood then whispered up close and personal to him in a voice so full of malevolence.

" **You killed the saint in me.** "

* * *

Wolf and Celtic kept on running as fast as their own feet could carry them, until a sudden deafening noise of metal on metal could be heard echoing down the ship's corridors. They stopped dead in their tracks as they realized what just happened. The Bad Blood Super Yautja aboard their vessel had breached the main storage compartment and thrown the frayed blast door against the wall.

All of the clan's servants, mothers and pups were about to be slaughtered at the hands of a rare, wicked hunter. Wolf was not willing to let any Bad Blood harm any Yautja not able to fight back, especially if it involved his sister Gua'ytaan. After giving a quick glance at each other, knowing what was bound to occur around the corner the moment they were to walk through; the two Yautja brothers continued to tread onto their supposed impending fate.

As the Bad Blood Super Yautja stood in their line of sight, focusing entirely on the group of defenceless Yautja all huddled together inside the main storage compartment; they could only gaze in awe at the monstrous fiend ahead. Wolf had never seen a Yautja that was so massive, hulking and malicious all at the same time in his own eyes before. It was ogling them all with nothing short of hatred in his eyes, eager to slaughter every single one of them in gruesome and sinful fashion.

Before he could even react, his brother Celtic fired a shot at the Super Yautja's head with his plasma caster. The shot landed with a direct hit, but it did not kill him.

It only seemed to agitate him while blinding his sight for a brief moment; which Celtic and Wolf assumed would be just long enough to evacuate all the survivors of the massacre into escape pods as the surge from the ion cannon's blast would wear off very soon.

As the Super Yautja clenched his claws against his face in pain, the two Yautja brothers ran to the breached doorway and signalled the clan's survivors to follow them quickly. They all stood up and began to run for their lives towards the escape pod bay. As she ran, Gua'ytaan caught up with her brother's pace and spoke up to him.

" **Wolf, you've saved us! But where shall we go now?** " She questioned him with much terror in her voice. " **I don't know, but it must be far from these Bad Bloods that's for sure.** " He replied, equally as frightened and concerned about the future of the Shadow Hunter clan as his sister was.

If there was ever an hour of despair and uncertainty for this once proud Yautja bloodline, this would most definitely be it.

Just then, a familiar voice that sounded so menacing and nefarious spoke up amongst the fleeing crowd of Yautja.

" **You can never corrupt me again.** " It said with nothing but pure evil in the words it uttered.

Wolf and Gua'ytaan then halted their retreat, only to be met with the horrific sight of another Bad Blood Yautja; but this one was different.

This one they recognized…it was Cage, their clan's most recent forsaken hunter. However, something about him was off, for his blemished face just wasn't the same anymore.

As he stepped further ahead, it became clear to the two Yautja siblings what was so altered about Cage himself.

The Mark of Honor on his forehead was now crossed out with gashes from what they could only assume was a dagger, which were in turn leaking lime-green blood all over his face. If that wasn't disturbing enough in the eyes of a Yautja, then the vile surprise found in the clutches of his own claws most certainly would sicken one beyond belief.

In his right claw, he held a combistick extended to its full length like a spear; with the decapitated head of Elder Zechaot himself skewered onto it, dripping with blood. The lime-green blood of the fallen Yautja elder along with small chunks of brain matter and tiny chips of bone could also be seen littered all over the ground where he stood. Not only had Cage betrayed the entire Shadow Hunter clan, but he had also taken a step further to murder the clan's main elder and take his beheaded skull as a prize.

Upon seeing this appalling and dreadful sight, Gua'ytaan could feel herself screaming internally.

All the hope she had for survival had been lost now that the clan's once proud and open-minded elder had become another victim of the skirmish. She could not move, frozen in a trance of pure terror overcoming all her senses. As her brother Wolf desperately tried to get her to snap out of it, Cage came treading closer; emitting even more devilish statements.

" **Paya's perfect angel has fallen…and now you all shall face Cetanu's wrath!** " He said with an impious voice, eager to kill them too.

At that very moment, Wolf faintly heard what sounded like a small metallic object being thrown on the floor where the survivors continued to run for their lives. Since it was relatively far away and there were many other noises filling the air around them all, he could not quite make out what exactly it was. Whatever the object was, he could tell that it was thrown from behind where he and Gua'ytaan stood.

Then it hit him. It was a plasma grenade about to detonate.

" **Grenade!** " Wolf blurted out in an attempt to warn the others, but it was already far too late.

The grenade went off, exploding the many fleeing Yautja into many gory bits and pieces in excruciatingly graphic detail. Lime-green blood and mangled entrails coated the wall; floor and ceiling altogether as one single gruesome painting.

Wolf and Gua'ytaan while not injured by the blast where still close enough to be knocked to the ground by the shockwave effect, both of them simultaneously landing with a thud and wincing out of pain. Looking at the direction behind them from where he laid on the floor, Wolf saw a couple more Bad Bloods slowly lurking up behind him and his sister.

He quickly pushed himself and Gua'ytaan back up off the ground and began started to run as fast as he could towards the escape pod bay. While it may have taken a brief second to catch up with her brother, Gua'ytaan was able to keep at the same pace as Wolf and was able to pull through since the escape pod bay wasn't too far away down the corridors.

She looked behind herself and saw the Bad Bloods behind her stopping at the bloody mess left by the plasma grenade and finishing off any unfortunate enough to survive the explosion. One of them grabbed a severely wounded Yautja unblooded pup and slit his throat with a dagger. Another sliced open the head of a Yautja mother who had lost her entire legs in the blast, only further adding to the nightmarish carnage occurring all around them.

Gua'ytaan was practically sick to her stomach, but she still kept on running like there was no tomorrow. She didn't want to die, not like the way those ill-fated mothers, servants and pups met their maker.

" **Just keep running, sister! We'll make it of this mess alive!** " Wolf called out to her, trying to convince her that hope wasn't entirely lost yet; even if it was the smallest shred imaginable.

As she heard these words from her brother, Gua'ytaan saw Cage attempting to catch up to them both. Thankfully, Cage could never manage to sprint as fast as Gua'ytaan or Wolf ever could; especially with the extra weight of his newfound kill trophy holding him back. He eventually stopped to take in a breather, losing his prey in the process.

The blast door in the distance leading towards the escape pod bay closed behind Wolf and Gua'ytaan as they fled away from the scene.

" **Pauk. I let them escape!** " He blurted out in anger after they were no longer within his line of sight.

" **Don't mind them, Cage. You did well on your first hunt among us.** " The voice of Ripper said as he approached him from behind, along with the heavy sounds of his footsteps following accordingly as well.

" **You even found yourself the kill trophy of a Yautja elder. That is most impressive.** " Receiving compliments about this particular illegal kill trophy still impaled on his combistick, Cage decided that perhaps the Super Yautja was indeed correct.

It may have been easy for him to kill Elder Zechaot because of his old age and weakened stature, but not many Bad Bloods were able to obtain Yautja elder kill trophies since they were often heavily guarded by the likes of younger and much more physically fit hunters.

" **Perhaps you are right, Ripper. After all, we can always track them down and kill them later.** " Said Cage in response.

" **Agreed. You have rightfully earned your place here among by Bad Bloods abandoned by flawed Yautja society. Cage, I will let you choose our net hunt after the next that I have chosen.** " Replied Ripper, stating that he was trusting Cage enough to even let him have an influence among the hunts this band of renegades would embark on.

While he was flattered and even happy to finally been granted salvation after suffering exile, he could only ponder the possibilities of where exactly the Forsaken Blades would strike next. He felt the need to question the Super Yautja about it.

" **And where shall we go now, Ripper?** " Cage inquired with much interest.

" **Planet Earth. We recently lost contact from our brother Stalker, and we fear that either he may be dead or those little oomans have discovered him and have him as their hostage.** " Ripper said in response, fearing for the worst about this particular Bad Blood among his brethren.

He didn't want to be pessimistic, but something inside his gut told him that his brother Stalker was now deceased. Until he and the rest of the Forsaken Blades clan could venture to this world, Ripper himself could not be certain about Stalker's fate.

" **Sounds like a plan to me.** " Cage retorted, agreeing with the Super Yautja's choice to travel to Earth, as he could not resist the temptation of slaughtering another human being after failing to spill the blood of Alexa Woods. If he could not kill her, then maybe some other humans would make fine hunting game for his sick desires.

" **Glad to know that we are on the same terms, Cage. Now let us destroy this clan's mothership and depart from the Alpha Centauri System.** " The Super Yautja said, eager to leave this area of neutral space as soon as possible; just like the rest of the Bad Bloods around him.

While Cage also didn't wish to linger in this location any longer, he could not ignore the question inside his mind in regards to how exactly the Forsaken Blades would go about destroying this Yautja mothership. He could not recall any high powered explosives strong enough to obliterate an entire starcraft of this size, as mere plasma grenades would not be nearly enough to decimate it. " **But how are we going to terminate this ship? We don't have any high powered explosives, Ripper.** " Cage spoke up, unsure of what to do in this given situation. " **Then we shall improvise.** " Replied Ripper once more.

Two more Bad Bloods then approached from behind, restraining a wounded Yautja hunter who was most likely the last one alive from the massacre; minus the two that managed to escape just mere moments ago. With his weapons damaged beyond repair and his body in no suitable condition to resist against the Bad Bloods, this Yautja hunter knew he had no chance of survival from these merciless criminals. Death was on the horizon for this one unfortunate soul, there was no doubt. As the injured hunter was thrown onto his knees, Cage turned around and noticed that he was quite familiar. It was none other than Celtic, someone whom Cage actually used to consider a dear friend many years ago. Celtic looked up at the bitter and blemished Yautja, noticing just how grim he appeared with the lashes along his forehead and the blood that continued to drip out. That along with his already somewhat disfigured face made him a truly ghastly figure even in the eyes of a Yautja.

" **How…how could you have done this, Cage? We were brothers.** " He said to the traitorous hunter, pleading with mercy to be spared. His appeal was followed with a morbid chuckle from Cage, indicating that he truly had grown dark and pitiless from his own descent into lunacy.

" **If you really were my brothers, you wouldn't have abandoned me.** " Cage replied, unsheathing his wrist blades once more.

Suddenly, he was stopped by the Super Yautja who then placed his massive claw on the Bad Blood's shoulder.

" **No, Cage. We shall use him to destroy the ship's power core.** " As Celtic heard what the Bad Blood Super Yautja had to say, he knew exactly what his oncoming mortality would be as the final standing member of the Shadow Hunter clan.

With no way to repel for himself, the wounded hunter accepted his doom; bowing his head low out of sorrow without saying any further words.

" **Understood, Ripper.** " Cage said in response, complying with the Super Yautja's command before retracting his wrist blades back into his gauntlets.

The Bad Bloods who brought him then grabbed a hold of him once more as Cage led them towards the mothership's power core through the maze of corridors, dragging him across the floor. Ripper also followed behind them, as he figured that the blast door shielding the reactor would be sealed shut at all times.

With every step they took, Celtic knew that he only was being drawn closer to his last breaths as a mortal soul. A virulent end to such an abounding journey that had been his life, about to conclude so brusquely.

As the Bad Bloods arrived at the entrance of the mothership's main power core, Ripper pushed his way through them all towards the shut blast door. He then threw a massive punch, severely denting the door in the process. Striking it again several more times, each with the same might as the first; the Super Yautja was able to puncture a hole in the barred door. However, he was not done yet.

Ripper then forced his claws into the gap created by his own clout, and with his brutish strength; he tore through the door's thick metallic substance and forced it open. Inside was the power core of the ship, a reactor glowing The Bad Bloods then dragged him into the room before Cage pinned him up against the core itself.

He then proceeded to draw out two daggers, which he used to pierce the palm center of Celtic's own open claws with little resistance. The wounded hunter screamed from the sudden raucous pain and lowered his head low, grimacing as he tried to suppress the agony. Cage then looked directly at him, almost like he wanted to know something from Celtic before he would go about taking his life away.

" **What more do you want from me, traitor?** " Celtic scoffed at him, only to be met with a swift blow to the face in response.

" **Tell me where Alexa Woods and Scar have gone. They are not aboard this mothership, so where are they?!** " Demanded Cage, insisting on an answer. Celtic however, did not feel that this turncoat should know the whereabouts of those 2 hunters living abroad. He clicked his mandibles before replying.

" **And why should I tell you? I know you're just going to kill them both anyway.** " Cage said nothing, he just grabbed the combistick he had thrown on the ground with the head of the Yautja elder impaled onto it and brought the weapon up to Celtic's face so that he was met with the dead, lifeless gaze of the decapitated head.

" **I asked Elder Zechaot the same question, and he was reluctant to give me an answer. So I murdered him and claimed his skull as my own prize.** " Explained Cage in a grim, malevolent tone. " **Let me guess, you'll do the same to me if I don't spit it out?** " Questioned Celtic once more.

" **No, you're not worthy to me. After all, we'll need something to blow up this entire vessel when we depart from this system.** " Replied Cage, hinting at how he and the Bad Bloods planned on killing him; which Celtic found to be rather obvious by now.

" **Paya knows you've all gone bloody mad, I'm sure of it. I won't tell you were Alexa and Scar have gone either! Never!** " Celtic said in response.

" **Paya was never there for me, and she won't be here to save you either.** " Cage replied as he began to type in a combination into the wrist computer console on Celtic's gauntlet.

In no time at all, the self-destruct device had been activated and set for a timer just long enough for the Bad Bloods of the Forsaken Blades to escape from the scene.

" **It's too bad you couldn't tell me where those two disgraceful hunters are, but even so; I still would've killed you either way. So long, Celtic.** " Cage gave his final farewell to his former brother as he and the other Bad Bloods turned around to leave.

All Celtic could do now was wait for death to claim him next. Nailed down to a reactor with the self-destruct device on his gauntlet ticking, there was simply no hope for his survival anymore. For all he knew the entire Shadow Hunter clan had been slaughtered in the wake of this bloody massacre, leaving only him remaining. Now his time was up, so now the only option left was for him to pray to Paya herself; hoping that he would earn his own rightful place in the afterlife.

This life of his ended in such harsh tragedy at the hands of some of the vilest Yautja alive in the galaxy; which was no doubt the worst possible way for any wholesome Yautja hunter to pass on. He then remembered that Alexa Woods and Scar were still alive on Earth, so perhaps all hope for the future of this Yautja bloodline was not lost yet.

However, that wouldn't mean that it would be free of the many blemishes that would continue to plague it from this day onward. In fact, it was highly probable that the Shadow Hunter clan would never be the same again. But if an entire mothership of hunters couldn't fend off the Forsaken Blades, then what could a female human and a single blooded hunter do?

It now felt like no matter what, this would mark the beginning of the end of the Shadow Hunter clan; unless by some miracle it wasn't. Whatever the case was, it was guaranteed that Celtic himself would not live to see that day at all. Time was running out as the buzzing sounds of the self-destruct device about to go off continued to grow even louder.

Celtic closed his eyes and shed a single tear as the contraption finally exploded, causing a chain reaction with the ship's main power core just like he initially predicted.

His entire body was incinerated, reduced to nothing but ashes.

* * *

From the plasma window of the escape pod, Gua'ytaan knelt down and watched the Bad Blood's mothership destroy theirs. She couldn't believe it; the Shadow Hunter clan was now in ruins. Almost everyone she grew up with, all their faces could never be seen again.

Dead and gone, it seemed like her and Wolf were the only remaining members of the clan within a million miles.

Pressing her head against the window, she began to sob uncontrollably as tears ran down her face like a rainfall. Sorrow was all she could think and feel, having lost everything she ever once owned and almost everyone she loved.

_Why? Why must it happen to us?_  Gua'ytaan thought to herself, softly whimpering in the process.

What did her and her clan do to deserve a bloodbath of such cold-heartedness? They never sinned, abided by the jurisdictions of Yautja law just like any faithful one would. It was all done at the hands of Bad Bloods, the very bane of Yautja society that averted their people's own partisan views on themselves as the superior race of the Galaxy above all others.

Only tainted souls with no sense of virtue would be vile enough to commit such atrocious acts as this. On top of that, Cage, the former Yautja hunter exiled from the clan not too long ago was the one behind the slaying of their brothers and sisters. Gua'ytaan now despised him even more than she already did when she learned about his attempt to murder Alexa; yearning for Cetanu himself to deliver this sinner's retribution. She wouldn't be satisfied until this heartless and ignoble excuse for a Yautja would be put to death for his crimes.

Yet even so, Gua'ytaan herself knew that it was very likely that Cage and his fellow Bad Blood fugitives wouldn't stop until every trace of the Shadow Hunter bloodline had been exterminated. No doubt they would track down her and Wolf, that was a fact; but when would they do so? Did these Bad Bloods have other plans on their agenda to fulfill, or was this their one and only goal for the time being?

Gua'ytaan's mind was left with more questions than answers; which did nothing to help her current melancholic emotions. She just knelt down on the floor, curling herself into a ball as she continued to weep to herself.

Wolf inputted the coordinates into the escape pod's navigation computer. This small craft was not designed for long-distance travel across space, so the two Yautja siblings could not venture far before the pod's energy would wear out. Luckily, Wolf found the perfect location to land which was just within the escape pod's range.

As he finished configuring the route of the autopilot, Wolf took notice of his grieving sister and he stepped away from the controls of the pod.

He then walked towards Gua'ytaan in an attempt to provide some kind of consolation towards her.

" **I can't believe it. They killed everyone aboard, and Cage of all people was behind it all.** " Gua'ytaan said amidst the wailing cries of this desolate hour.

Wolf placed his hand on her shoulder from behind, trying his absolute best to comfort his sister.

" **We will make them pay for it all, Gua'ytaan. Trust me on this.** " He said in response to his sister's words of mourning.

" **Don't give me hope, Wolf! Everything is gone! Our clan is dead! What more could we possibly lose?** " Gua'ytaan stood up, turned around and snapped back at her brother, under the belief that everything could only go downhill from here.

She saw no sign of a light at the end of this gloomy tunnel.

Wolf however, thought otherwise. He was much more optimistic in this given situation. With only one planet in a close enough range to land on that was capable of sustaining Yautja life, Wolf knew that the massacre that he and his sister just barely escaped from wasn't the end of the Shadow Hunter bloodline for good.

" **We have not lost everything yet, Gua'ytaan. There are still 2 more hunters of our clan still alive out there, living on planet Earth.** " Replied Wolf once more. Upon hearing the name of that very planet, her eyes widened and head perked up. It could only mean one thing.

" **Scar and Alexa. You're right, brother! They still live on that world together.** " Gua'ytaan said in a rather joyful tone, as if she just found hope amongst the ashes of their own clan's massacre. 7

Maybe the end wasn't near them just yet; perhaps the beginning of a new era too? Whatever the future ahead would bring, these two Yautja siblings knew that they had to carry on no matter what stood in their path. Wolf had to agree with his sister, but he could not ignore the ugly truth about it all.

" **Indeed, but they will not be pleased to learn about the fate of our clan.** " Replied Wolf bleakly as he too looked through the plasma window and saw the wreckage of their clan's own mothership.

He was almost certain about how Scar and Alexa would react when told about the Shadow Hunter clan's demise, which was bound to not be pleasant in the least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: Hey everyone, Cosmic Sword11 here with another chapter for Predator And Prey. This has to be the longest chapter I've written for the story yet and I hope you enjoyed it, especially since this particular chapter is vital to the storyline. Hopefully I can get working on the next chapter soon, but I guess only time will tell. I had published this chapter on FFN the same time as chapter 15, but forgot to add it to AO3 until now. I do apologize for that and I will make sure that it does not happen again. Also, I will no longer be updating my story on Wattpad because nobody there bothered to read it. Just putting that out there. With all that said and done, please remember to R&R if you enjoyed it. This is Cosmic Sword11 signing off.


	18. Chapter 17: Ruins of a Clan

**Chapter 17: Ruins of a Clan**

While all was well for Alexa and Scar, now officially bonded together as Life Mates by Yautja law in the comfort of their own home; the same could not be said about Wolf and Gua'ytaan. Confined inside a small escape pod with limited oxygen and supplies for them both, it felt like all hope for the clan's future was cynical after everything had been washed away in the wake of the skirmish.

While the journey from their current location in space to planet Earth wouldn't take very long in this given spacecraft; with the estimated arrival time racking in at a few hours at the fastest possible settings for a Yautja escape pod, time seemed to slow down for the two Yautja siblings. Minutes felt like hours and there was nothing to do but mourn over each other's shared loss.

Anger and sorrow were the only emotions that could be felt inside the enclosed space that was the pod, the very sentiments of the massacre's aftermath. No doubt Wolf and Gua'ytaan both wanted to seek vengeance upon Cage and the rest of the Bad Bloods who slaughtered their entire bloodline in a single night; that was for certain. How they would go about doing it was a whole different story.

An entire kinfolk of Bad Blood Yautja put up against only two surviving members of a fallen clan wouldn't be a fair fight at all.

In fact, adding Alexa and Scar to the line-up most likely wouldn't help either; but there was no other choice to take. It was either that or facing the same untimely fate as the rest of their fallen brothers and sisters.

So onward they went, travelling as fast as the escape pod could possibly carry them across the stars. Paya knew that once they made it to planet Earth, this whole ordeal would only grow substantially with a crisis bound to emerge from it one way or another. No one could be safe for very much longer.

* * *

Several hours after their sanctioned bonding took place; Alexa remained asleep peacefully in her bed. Scar however did not, but he was not sneaking out to betray her trust like he had done before. This time, he had simply just awoken in the middle of the night because he felt the need to urinate.

Quietly leaving the bed without rousing his Life Mate as she slept, he made his way to the bathroom to relieve himself. After doing so, he silently treaded through the hall and attempted to climb back into the bed; until something unexpected caught his attention.

It was a familiar scent, one that did not smell remotely human at all. Something about it was alien to the soil of this planet no doubt; as Scar instantly knew what it really was.

" **N'dui'se**." He muttered under his breath.

It was the scent of another Yautja. Maybe even several of them out there for all he knew.

Fearing that he and his Life Mate were now in a state of danger, he began to gently tap on Alexa's shoulder until she finally started to regain consciousness.

"Alexa." He whispered to her in a rather quiet voice that sounded like he was genuinely worried about something.

"W-what is it, Scar?" Alexa questioned, slightly groggy as she had just been abruptly disturbed from her state of slumber. She obviously didn't want to be awoken so early on a non-work night, but figured that something had to be wrong if Scar did in fact wake her at this given hour.

"I think there's someone outside, their scent is strong in the air." Scar replied, informing his Life Mate about the likely peril that was dawdling out in the night amidst the premises of their own home.

Alexa was not sure what he meant, since she for sure could not pick up whatever aroma caught his attention. Sitting up and sniffing the air around her, there was nothing to be found that wasn't already recognizable to her household.

"I don't smell anything, Scar." She replied, clearly subdued and just keen on returning to sleep for the rest of the night as she laid her head back down on the pillow once more.

"Yautja have a heightened sense compared to you oomans, remember?" Scar said in response, enlightening her on knowledge about the Yautja species that he was certain she already understood.

Knowing that the Yautja hunter was now her Life Mate by law, Alexa decided that it would be a wise choice to just trust him. Perhaps he really did get a whiff of something that she couldn't, which was an entirely possible likelihood.

"Ok, what do you smell then, Scar?" She inquired with curiosity as she lifted her head off the pillow.

"Another Yautja." Scar replied, clearly worried in his tone of voice.

Upon hearing those words in response, Alexa's eyes widened. If Scar had picked up the scent of another Yautja that was supposedly hiding in the darkness outside of her own house, that could only mean one thing.

The Bad Blood Yautja held within the research facility she worked at had somehow managed to break free and was plotting to kill her, or at least that is what Alexa had initially thought.

Nevertheless, she became struck with fear; unsure of what to do.

"It might be the Bad Blood from the lab, Scar. What should we do?" Alexa questioned the Yautja hunter, awaiting an answer in this dark hour of uncertainty.

She knew that they had to act quickly, otherwise they would both fall prey to this heartless killer out on the run.

"You stay here; I shall go fend off this intruder myself." Replied Scar before walking away from the bed and strapping on his gauntlets.

He knew that while Alexa knew how to defend herself whenever faced with danger, it wouldn't be wise for her to take on a Bad Blood Yautja on her own. They often had tendencies to lash out against their chosen prey with coercing blows that any normal Yautja would've deemed dishonourable and lacking in honor, so Scar had a good reason to take on this supposed Bad Blood lurking out there in the night by himself.

Even so, Alexa still didn't want to see her new Life Mate torn to shreds by some disgraceful warrior.

"Be careful out there, Scar." She warned her dearly beloved as he began to head out the door.

"Don't worry, Alexa. I'll be fine." The Yautja hunter said in response before he left her alone in the bedroom as he strode onto what he could only assume was certain doom for the both of them.

Drawing out his wrist blades while walking through the hallway and descending down the staircase, he prepared himself for the possible duel between him and the Bad Blood concealed within the shadows of the night. Scar was determined to protect his Life Mate at all costs, especially if the safety of their own home was thwarted by a fiend like a Bad Blood Yautja.

Anyone or anything that was a threat to either him or Alexa was guaranteed to be slain by his own blade, which was nothing short of inevitable for sure.

Though Alexa knew that it would be prudent to remain inside her bedroom while Scar dealt with the menace prowling around her house, something else from her gut told her otherwise. A sudden fear that the Bad Blood might be too much for Scar to handle on his own, that it might be entirely possible for this criminal to kill him.

Scar may have been an experienced hunter; Alexa could not deny, but she began to dread about this chance becoming true. The two of them had only just bonded together as Life Mates mere hours ago, so it would undeniably hurt her inside to a great extent if her time with the Yautja hunter whom she loved so dearly was cut much too short.

As a blooded hunter by the law of Scar's people, Alexa knew that she had to do something if her Life Mate became fatally wounded. It was not only the logical path to choose, but also the benevolent choice as well. She pulled herself out of bed and walked over to the bedside table on the opposite end.

Opening up the drawer, Alexa drew out her Yautja dagger. Once belonging to the Bad Blood who tried to murder her only to be then given as a gift from Gua'ytaan before departing for Earth, this blade would soon find a proper usage within Alexa's own two hands. Examining the dagger, she knew that it was the right weapon to use.

As she was about to head out the door, Alexa paused at the sudden realization that she was still naked.

There was no way in hell she was going outside in nothing but her birthday suit during the middle of the night, even if it was to try and save her Life Mate from an impending danger. The fact that there was also a chill present in the frosty night air was another reason to persuade her decision, but that wasn't going to hold her back from standing up for the sake of Scar's own life.

So, she decided to stop and quickly slip on her pyjamas before rushing out into the night with a dagger in hand; ready to spill the blood of an appalling Yautja traitor. Little did she know however, of what was really awaiting her and Scar out under the moonlight.

* * *

As Scar stepped through the tall grass illuminated by the light from the moon and stars out in the night sky, he began to search for the Yautja veiled behind the dimness of the night. The scent was strong within the air, but not a single visual trace could be found. Scar began to wonder if it was possible that there may even be more than one Yautja hiding from him.

It was a probability that he could not ignore, especially if he already knew that a Bad Blood Yautja was present on this planet; which at the moment seemed incredibly apt to be the culprit in Scar's own recollection. With his wrist blades unsheathed and ready for combat, he continued to slowly cast an eye through the field with his peripheral vision.

So far he had found nothing, but the Yautja's musk lingered quite fervent in this environment. Was this Bad Blood trying to lure him into a trap? Scar found it entirely plausible, yet he continued to search the area for his prey.

Remaining as silent as he could possibly move, the Yautja hunter stealthily moved at a firm pace. Everything was going smooth for him, until a sudden noise caught his attention.

It was the sound of someone or rather something stepping on a stick, breaking it in the process. Scar crouched down immediately as he heard the crunch and examined his surroundings, unclear if that clatter had been caused by himself. He found that it had not been his own doing, as no broken sticks or anything of the same matter at all could be found underneath his own two feet.

What he did catch however was the faint looking figure in the distance.

It was the silhouette of another Yautja hunter that stood frozen in a trance, uncertain if it had just attracted the attention of one more individual within its own vicinity. Scar could not make out who this particular Yautja hunter was from this distance in the night while also hiding inside the field's tall grass, but it didn't matter to him one bit. For all he knew, this Yautja was that very Bad Blood held captive by Weyland-Yutani; now broken out of its clutches and ready to slaughter Alexa Woods.

That was not something he was willing to allow one bit, as he would dead sure lash out against the Bad Blood if it would dare lay a single finger on his Life Mate's own skin. In fact, Scar was not willing to let him get any closer to Alexa's own house at all. The only thing he needed do right now was maintain concealed by the environment around himself until the right time came to take this Bad Blood down by pure surprise.

Luckily, the Yautja hunter in the distance did not seem to notice Scar just yet. Despite that however, he could tell this Yautja had also picked up the scent of Scar; though unable to trace its exact whereabouts.

Scar could tell that this particular Yautja hunter was not wearing a bio-mask, which confused him greatly. Just about any Yautja, Bad Blood or not; they all used this essential tool needed for hunts. Why exactly this Bad Blood wasn't bearing the one fundamental device that all hunters used was a mystery to Scar, but he did not care at all.

To him, it only meant that it would give him an advantage over his prey. Now seemed like the perfect time for an ambush, to catch him off-guard and end his life before he could endanger Alexa or anyone else on this isolated world. But how exactly was Scar going to pull this off?

He thought about it to himself for a brief moment until he noticed a nearby tree that he might be able to make good use of in this given situation. It seemed tall enough for him to climb and use as concealment, so that's exactly what he did. Scar formed a mischievous smile with his mandibles before silently treading towards the tree.

Climbing up it while making as little noise as humanly possible, the Yautja hunter began to stalk his new target. As he stood on a high enough branch that was strong enough to support his own body weight without breaking underneath himself, Scar waited for the supposed Bad Blood to wander right into the trap. His plan was to remain camouflaged behind the darkened leaves and jump down to strike the Bad Blood once he walked near the tree. He then saw his prey walking towards the tree and though he still could not make out its face, Scar planned to spill his blood regardless.

_That's right, come to me you disgraceful animal_. Scar thought to himself as the shadow of the Yautja hunter drew in closer and closer by the second.

It was almost time for him to claim the life of the Bad Blood standing below him, as he could almost taste the sweet embrace of justice being served to profane traitors just like this one. Soon enough, the Yautja hunter below Scar was now standing in the exact position of the trap, unaware of what was bound to happen to him.

Unfortunately for Scar, he was about to discover that this Bad Blood was not who he believed him to be at all. A rather calamitous surprise was in stock for him, almost guaranteed to render the Yautja hunter at a loss of words.

He jumped down from the branch and landed right in front of the Bad Blood, weapons drawn and ready to kill. Without even looking the other Yautja hunter right in the eye, Scar slashed at him using his wrist blades. Tearing through the flesh and drawing up blood where the gashes stood, the Yautja hunter's prey fell to the ground as he began screaming in pain.

Scar chuckled as he watched the Bad Blood suffer in agony from the lacerations he inflicted upon his chest. While the blades didn't penetrate far enough to damage any bodily organs, they clearly went in far enough to leave behind a nasty flesh wound. As he approached the injured Bad Blood, Scar began to think to himself. Not many Yautja hunters could say that they managed to kill a Bad Blood, since the Enforcers were given almost exclusive obligation to track down these fugitives and slaughter them for their transgressions against the sacred Honor Code.

This made Scar blissful, as this would add another achievement to his own biography as an already exceptional Yautja hunter.

Standing over his battered foe, he raised his wrist blades up into the air once more. Dripping with lime green blood from their victim, the Yautja hunter was determined to paint the soil around himself with the exact same colour. Just then, the Bad Blood looked up directly at Scar with a look of nothing more than terror present in his eyes. Not a single shred of evil could be found inside this Bad Blood for some odd reason.

All of a sudden, Scar realized something. This Yautja hunter was no Bad Blood at all and it was a familiar looking face too. Scar then lowered his weapons as he noticed who his wrongfully foreseen adversary really was.

" **Wolf?** " He questioned the wounded Yautja in a tone of voice that said he was utterly thunderstruck.

The Yautja who he could've sworn was a Bad Blood roaming around his Life Mate's house in the middle of the night was really his own best friend and he struck him down while unaware of his true identity. It made him feel like a buffoon, so reckless enough to dare do something so downright inattentive to one of his own brethren.

" **Scar? Why did you attack me?** " Wolf inquired as he grunted from the pain he was experiencing. He desperately wanted to know the truth behind this blue-on-blue ambush that left him with ghastly wounds on his own flesh. It didn't seem like something that Scar would've done at all, which only made the whole ordeal all the more mystifying in Wolf's eyes.

" **I thought you were a Bad Blood, Wolf. Please forgive me.** " Replied Scar, beseeching him to grant amnesty for this unintentional attack.

Unfortunately, that only seemed to open up more questions instead of giving answers.

" **You thought I was a Bad Blood? Well, I guess it seems we're not the only ones who have been forced to deal with them today.** " Wolf stated in response, revealing to Scar that he was not alone at the moment. At least one other Yautja was with him, but he could not see or hear it anywhere.

This led Scar to believe that a band of Bad Blood Yautja had been the cause of a massacre, but his train of thought was promptly interrupted as he was met with his Life Mate rushing out of the house wearing her pyjamas and holding a dagger. She ran up to Scar and began to explain herself to him.

"Look, I know you told me to stay inside; but I was afraid that the Bad Blood might end up killing you, Scar." Alexa said as she put in plain words why she was out there.

"Well at least you're here now too, Alexa." Scar said in response to his Life Mate.

"You don't need to worry…There is no Bad Blood here. Not yet at least." She heard the wounded Yautja laying on the ground speak to her, to which she immediately recognized his voice.

"Wolf? What are you doing here? And what the hell happened?" Alexa questioned him, eager to know the true reason of his presence around her home.

"The same reason why we're all here." Replied Wolf, his answer being as vague as it could possibly be.

For obvious reasons, Alexa did not understand what he meant by that. Was he not alone? Were there more Yautja hunters accompanying him here on Earth? It seemed entirely possible, but Alexa could not be so sure under the influence of unfamiliarity.

"What do you mean? Is there anyone else with you right now, Wolf?" She bestowed him once more.

"Only the one." Wolf said in response before calling out for his sole companion still cloaked within the shadows of the night.

"Gua'ytaan! It's safe, you can come out now." He spoke using Alexa's mother tongue instead of his own native language.

Soon enough, a cloaked figure emerged in front of them as it slowly deactivated its active camouflage. It was in fact the female Yautja healer Gua'ytaan, and Alexa could tell that see seemed afraid of something no doubt.

From the way she stood, it appeared she had either seen a ghost or perhaps suffered some sort of traumatic experience. Her body posture alone was enough to hint at the possibility that there may have been a tragedy which she experienced firsthand. Whatever frightened her was a mystery to Alexa and she was bound to uncover it before long.

As Gua'ytaan approached the group, she gasped out of total shock as she noticed the fresh cuts across Wolf's chest, still seeping with blood.

"Brother! What happened to you?!" She said out of utter surprise, alarmed by the foul sight she had been greeted with.

"I can explain, Gua'ytaan. I mistook him for a Bad Blood and thought he might try and kill Alexa." Scar replied, in a prominently improved human-like voice that sounded much more fluent than the one he spoke in when they last met.

Gua'ytaan took notice, but chose not to focus on it as there were more precious matters before her at the moment. She then turned to face Alexa, a face she was truly grateful to finally see once again.

"Is this your home, Alexa?" Questioned Gua'ytaan.

"Yes, it is." Replied Alexa.

"Do you have any bandages? It's imperative that we treat Wolf for his injuries right away." The Yautja healer stated, informing her that giving medical treatment for her brother by blood was a top priority for the time being.

"Yes, I have some in the bathroom." Alexa said in response.

"Go get them, now!" She ordered her as if Wolf was going to die on the scene if he did not receive any immediate healing.

Alexa complied just as she had been told, fearing that he would not make it if her efforts to save him were not impeccable. She didn't even bother to take the healing factor of the Yautja into consideration, as Wolf's own life was on the line and that was something that Alexa couldn't dare ignore one bit.

Once the human female had ran inside to retrieve the bandages required to mend Wolf's flesh wounds, the injured Yautja hunter looked back up at Scar. He did not seem angry or ireful towards Scar, despite having been slashed across the chest just moments ago. Instead, Wolf tried his best to deliver his words in a rather comical tone; possibly as an effort to make light of this dark hour for them all.

" **I see you've been practicing how to speak ooman, Scar.** " He spoke to Scar, taking notice of how fluent and polished his human-like voice had become since the last time they met.

" **Well of course I have, for Alexa's sake.** " Replied Scar, stating that he significantly improved his ability to speak English solely so he could better communicate with the human woman he fell in love with.

Wolf chuckled in response.

" **Yeah, that's what I thought. Why else would you do that anyway?** "

Before Scar could issue a response towards Wolf's previous remark, Alexa returned outside with the bandages. She immediately handed them over to Gua'ytaan and without delay knelt down, beginning to apply them onto Wolf's lacerations. The female Yautja healer knew that these medical supplies were nowhere near as advanced compared to the likes of her own people's curative technology, but it would do. After all, she knew that her brother would pull through and continue to live past this painful tribulation.

Scar and Alexa just stood by and watched her patch up their wounded comrade. While they knew that Wolf would make it out alive, they still couldn't figure out why they were outside Alexa's house in the middle of the night. One thing was for certain though; they must've been here because something terrible happened to the clan. That had to be the case, since neither one of them could think of another possible reason why.

Once Gua'ytaan had finished bandaging up Wolf, the two Yautja siblings stood up from the ground and faced their spectating kin standing before them. Scar then approached his brother and with his head hung low, he spoke with a sombre tone of voice.

"Wolf, I'm sorry I attacked you like that." He still couldn't believe that he ambushed his own brother and best friend under the false illusion that he was a Bad Blood.

"It's fine, Scar. A couple simple flesh wounds won't hold me down. Plus, we all make mistakes in life; don't we?" Replied Wolf, stating that he was not livid towards the Yautja hunter who wrongfully struck him in the dark. Scar accepted the words of his dear friend, thankful that he too was in the understanding.

Alexa knew that it was time to find out why Gua'ytaan and Wolf were here. That very question had been rattling around inside her head once she discovered that the supposed Bad Blood was really Wolf and his sister had been hiding not too far away with her active camouflage activated. It needed to be uncovered right here and right now, even if it was still the middle of the night.

She then spoke up, catching the attention of them both.

"Wolf, Gua'ytaan? Why are you guys here outside my house at 12:30 in the morning?"

The female Yautja healer then took a few closer steps towards Alexa, nervously fiddling with her claws in the process. Alexa could tell that she was tense because the news she had to inform her and Scar about was clearly appalling and heartrending; judging from her body language alone.

"Alexa…something terrible has happened to our clan." Gua'ytaan replied in a melancholic voice that sounded like she was on the verge of tears.

"What? The Shadow Hunter clan cannot be deceased!" Scar retorted, jumping right into the conversation as he heard this gloomy news. He was unable to believe that his own clan had fallen, as he was certain that the Shadow Hunter bloodline would remain forever strong for millennia to come.

"Unfortunately, it now is. Me and Wolf were the only survivors from the massacre." Replied Gua'ytaan, confirming that it was indeed true.

Scar clenched his fists out both rage and sorrow, a ghastly mixture of emotions forming inside his head. He wanted to know who was responsible for the bloodbath that left almost his entire clan in ruins; determined to retaliate against whomever or whatever was woefully responsible.

"Who killed them?" The Yautja hunter questioned, his own speech boiling with rage. He assumed that this was the work of Bad Bloods, but he could never be so sure in his own predictions.

Gua'ytaan and Wolf then glanced at each other for a brief moment before turning back to the enraged Scar, anxiously yearning for a response. They knew that no matter how ugly the truth really was, it needed to be revealed.

"The Forsaken Blades." Gua'ytaan said in response.

Upon hearing that very name, Scar's eyes widened significantly. The exact same Bad Blood gang responsible for the murders of his own biological parents when he was still a pup had returned once again, this time claiming a much greater death toll. His already unhealthy muddle of anger and grief had doubled in very little time.

Alexa took notice of her Life Mate's all of a sudden emotional shift, but she was not sure what to do. In fact, she couldn't even tell if Scar was on the edge of weeping or about to lash out in a raging fury.

"I watched those Bad Bloods do it, Scar. They killed everyone aboard the mothership. The hunters, elders, servants; even the mothers and their pups. They're all gone." Stated Wolf, avowing that he and Gua'ytaan really were the only ones left alive in the wake of the skirmish. His words did nothing to help his brother, as it only seemed to further infuriate him even more.

"No." That was all Scar could utter as a response as he looked down at the ground below him in hatred.

"But there's more, Scar. Both of you might want to hear this." Gua'ytaan said once again, this time hinting that there was something far more sinister behind the very massacre that tore this bloodline apart.

Scar then perked his head up, still suppressing the inner built up rage rushing through his veins. Alexa too was all ears, for she could not believe this tragedy and wanted to know more. Gua'ytaan wanted to tell them the true morbid individual to be held accountable was, but she just couldn't let the words come out. Quite simply, his betrayal of the entire clan twice was enough to make her feel too mournful to even reveal his true name.

Wolf realized this, so he opted to step in and say it himself.

"The one responsible for carrying out this attack on our clan…it was Cage."

With that name uttered from Wolf's mouth, the grip that Scar held his onto his anger was on the verge of snapping. He grew to despise Cage after his attempt to murder Alexa and sincerely hoped that he would never have to deal with him again for the rest of his life; but alas that was not how things came to be. That ignoble hunter had returned and reclaimed what everyone else took away from him through the means of vengeance.

"Cage…that damn traitor!" Scar shouted as he struggled to maintain his inner temper.

"Yes, Cage returned with the Forsaken Blades and slaughtered our entire bloodline. He even killed Elder Zechaot himself and took his decapitated head as a kill trophy!" Gua'ytaan added to the dismay of both Scar and Alexa.

At this point, Scar lost total control of his anger and began to release his exasperated fury. He dashed over to the tree and began to furiously punch at its trunk whilst roaring at the top of his lungs out of pure uncontrolled rage.

With every blow the tree took, he began to chip through its wood and bark as his fists became drenched in his own lime-green blood. Yet even with his own claws bleeding, Scar was far too enraged to feel the pain. The anger within his veins gave him a boost of adrenaline as he continued to push himself to the limit.

Everyone else could only stare in awe as they watched Scar feverishly ravage a tree. Alexa had seen the Yautja hunter lash out in ire before, but it was never as berserk as right now.

Scar's outburst lasted a solid thirty seconds and by the end of it, the tree that once stood outside of Alexa's home had been completely knocked down in the opposite direction of the house. Standing before the fallen tree scarred with the marks of his own fists, Scar began to slowly pant as he felt the rage subsiding at last. He then looked down at his own fists and only then noticed that they were coated his with own blood. Small chips of wood could also be found scattered all over the ground where he stood.

Scar still couldn't believe that he had just knocked down a tree, but he had become unable to keep his own animosity controlled and desperately needed some way to relieve all those negative emotions out of his system. Yet even after all that, the resentment towards Cage still clinged onto his mind and showed no signs of ever letting go. It was there to stay, until the day when that traitor would finally meet his maker, atoning for the sins he committed.

Alexa approached Scar, completely staggered by the scene she just witnessed. She had never seen the Yautja hunter that enraged before; even more than when Cage attempted to spill her blood or when those gang members tried to rape her. Whatever it was that set him off in a fury was something that Alexa knew she needed to uncover immediately.

"Scar, what the hell was that all about?" Questioned Alexa in a clearly agitated voice.

"Cage has gone too far." Stated Scar in response, to which his Life Mate found to be rather vague and unclear.

"Yeah, but why did you just punch down a tree? I mean, was that really even necessary?" Alexa inquired once more.

"I needed some way to release my anger, Alexa." Replied Scar. This only led to more questions from her, eager to know just what the true cause of this outburst was. The pieces were there, it was only a matter of figuring how to put them together.

Or at least that is what Alexa had originally thought.

"I understand that you're upset that Cage is responsible for the slaughter of the clan, but that shouldn't be a good reason to lash out against a tree of all things." Alexa said to the Yautja hunter, trying to convince him that doing so in a barbaric fashion like that was not the way to be.

Little did she know however, the true reason why Scar lost control of his self-possessed anger and plunged into a vicious rage.

"Do you really understand what he has done, Alexa? Is that not a good reason why?" Scar replied, clearly annoyed that his Life Mate didn't understand something about this tragedy that affected him more than any of his brethren on a personal level.

Alexa knew that the skirmish was beyond dreadful, but she didn't have the same emotional connections towards the clan like Scar did. She had only known them for such a short time and it honestly made her feel guilty for not spending time to get to know some of the other Yautja hunters better more than the actual loss suffered by the clan. This especially applied to Scar's brothers Celtic and Chopper, since they were the ones who saved them both from dying in the cold Antarctic winds.

Of course, the Yautja whom she was most upset about dying in this bloody massacre was Elder Zechaot. He was always so kind to her and Alexa could tell that he looked out for the clan's best interest even in the bleakest of times imaginable. Yet even so, there was so much about this tender-hearted alien elder that she never learned and it made her feel shamefaced beyond belief.

"Well…I guess so. I mean, I didn't get to know much of them very well, and its honestly kind of sad that things turned out that way." Alexa said in response. Her tone of speech told him that she did have some sorrow inside her, but not nearly enough to the Yautja hunter's extent.

This made Scar feel somewhat relieved to know that his Life Mate was not apathetic towards this cataclysmic misfortune.

"It sure is. But do you know something about Elder Zechaot I never mentioned before?" The Yautja hunter inquired, this time sounding a bit more dismal than angered.

"Um…no, I don't think I do." Replied Alexa.

Scar then let out a sigh and clicked his mandibles before finally revealing this information towards his dearest Life Mate.

"After my parents were killed by the Kiande Amedha, Elder Zechaot took me in and raised me as if I was his own pup. He taught me how to hunt, fight and everything else a true Yautja hunter needs to know. Elder Zechaot was like a father to me." Explained Scar, briefly highlighting why the murder of this particular Yautja elder was a great loss to him.

She could tell that it left Scar emotionally hurt deep inside, as a catastrophe like this was bound to leave any sane individual heartbroken. He lost possibly the greatest mentor and role model of his entire life in addition to the rest of his clan.

"Now he's dead and Cage is rightfully responsible for his death." The ugly blend of anger and melancholy had found itself back into the Yautja hunter's mind and he could not stop thinking about it no matter how hard he tried.

Alexa took a quick glance at the two Yautja siblings spectating all the drama unfolding before them.

"It's true, Elder Zechaot really did raise Scar as if he was his own child by blood." Wolf said, confirming that his tragic tale was indeed reality.

Alexa knew that she had to do something as an effort to ease Scar's pain, so she approached the Yautja and caught him in a tight embrace. After all the times he had cooed to her in times of need, now was the time that she finally returned the favour. Scar took notice of this and embraced her too.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Scar. I should've learned more about the other Yautja of the clan instead of just you, Wolf and Gua'ytaan." Alexa said, imputing herself for being so oblivious to this grievous part of Scar's own life.

"Do not blame yourself, Alexa. I should've told you myself, it's my own fault." The Yautja hunter replied, stating that he didn't find Alexa in the wrong for this given situation.

Watching these two interspecies lovers come together, Wolf and Gua'ytaan began to predict that Alexa and Scar had most likely bonded before they arrived on the planet. It was safe to assume that was the case.

"So, I'm supposing that you two have already bonded as Life Mates by now. Is that correct?" Gua'ytaan questioned them both as they were still locked in a tight hug. Upon hearing the female Yautja's words, they released each other and faced her.

"Yes, we're official now. But enough about that; is there any other reason why you guys are here?" Alexa inquired after responding to Gua'ytaan. She figured that the recent massacre that left the clan in ruins might not be the only reason why the two Yautja siblings were outside her house in the middle of the night.

"Actually yes, there is. Our escape pod ran out of power once it landed. We have very little supplies to survive on us right now, so is there any chance you could let us into your home too, Alexa?" Wolf said, requesting to be granted sanctuary.

While Alexa initially thought that the idea of accommodating three Yautja inside her own house was quite perilous, she knew that she could not turn them down. They were the last surviving members of their bloodline; lost without a roof over their heads on an alien world. Since Alexa technically belonged to the clan too, there was simply no way in hell that she was going to refuse their desperate bespeak in the night.

"Yeah, I suppose I can let you guys in. I mean, we're technically family after all." Replied Alexa.

The moment Gua'ytaan heard the human female say those words, a grateful smile formed on her face. She was relieved to know how generous Alexa truly was towards Yautja like her and Wolf, but mostly because of how she thought of them as family even though they were not the same kind of flesh and blood.

"Thank you so much, Alexa! You have no idea how much this means to us." Gua'ytaan said in response; kneeling down to Alexa's own eye level.

She was happier than Alexa had ever seen her like before, despite her acquaintance with this female Yautja healer being so short. Yet the tone of her speech this time around was much more joyful in contrast to the last time they met and her reptilian eyes said so as well.

"Hey, anything for you guys," Alexa said to her alien sister-in-law as she led them all inside her home at last. Complying with her actions, the Yautja all began to follow Alexa inside and out of the cold, damp air that filled the night around them all.

* * *

Upon entering the house, Wolf and Gua'ytaan began to observe their surrounding in much of the same manner that Scar did when she first brought him inside. They simply found everything within Alexa's home to be so…alien, but Alexa knew that she could not blame them. All of her personal belongings from Earth were like unknown relics in the eyes of Yautja, but that wasn't what intrigued them the most.

Scar on the other hand just made his way to the master bedroom where he began to undo his hunting gear for the night. Alexa assumed that this was because he was tired and just wanted to get some rest just like his other fellow clan members. It was something that she surprisingly didn't mind one bit.

"Your home is quite big, Alexa." Gua'ytaan commented as she took a glance at the living room, which would've been the same size as a Yautja's own private quarters on a mothership, maybe even a little bigger actually. Not to mention that there was much more furniture present as well. To think that Alexa lived her life in a much larger domain than that the likes of most Yautja was quite astonishing in her perspective.

"Yeah, my job working for Weyland-Yutani gives me plenty of money, more than enough to pay for a house like this." Replied Alexa, briefly explaining why she lived in such a spacious environment. This gave Gua'ytaan the impression that not all humans lived in the same kind of homes she did, so she was rather fortunate. Wolf however had something else on his mind and decided to speak his thoughts out now.

"Where will we be sleeping though?" He questioned, eager to get some rest after being prematurely awoken by the massacre that ensued after his hunt on Pandora had been concluded. Wolf didn't even manage to sleep on the way to Earth since he spent most of the time inside the escape pod checking the onboard equipment to see if it was in a usable condition on Earth.

Unfortunately, the plasma caster stored onboard had its energy depleted and several of the blades stowed inside needed to be sharpened if they were going to be used again very soon. This was information that he felt needed to be addressed the following morning since he was just too tired to even bother heading back where they landed.

On top of that, neither him nor Gua'ytaan had revealed the location of their crashed escape pod to Alexa and Scar, thus creating an even greater predicament than the one they already found themselves in.

"I guess Gua'ytaan can take the guest room and that couch right there unfolds into a bed, Wolf. Is that fine with you guys?" Alexa said in response to Wolf's inquiry. Although Wolf was admittingly a little skeptical of a couch that was supposedly able to fold out into a bed, he was not willing to turn down a spot to sleep in, especially if Alexa had offered him it.

"Sure, that could work." Replied Wolf, accepting of Alexa's generous proposition.

"I think so too." Gua'ytaan chimed in, agreeing with her brother.

Alexa figured that the Yautja siblings would concur with her most open-handed offer, so it was no surprise that she felt much contentment when she heard their responses.

"Well that's great to hear. The guest room is to upstairs, Gua'ytaan. There's also three bathrooms in this house and we still some leftover pot roast in the fridge in case any of you guys are hungry." Stated Alexa, informing both of the Yautja siblings

As the Yautja female treaded upstairs to search for the guest room, Alexa began to unfold the living room sofa into a bed for Wolf to use. She knew that this while this contraption was relatively simple human technology, it would still be alien and rather bizarre in the eyes of a Yautja.

Wolf just stood there and watched, utterly baffled at the mere thought that such a thing even existed. Even the smallest things about a species' technology, culture or biology were simply enough to intrigue the minds of many; with the Yautja race of course being no exception. The Milky Way Galaxy truly was a bountiful place of wonders beyond one's own imagination, there was no doubt.

Once Alexa had finished unfurling her couch into Wolf's bed for the night, she went to go retrieve some blankets for him. Alexa knew that Yautja were cold-blooded creatures, so it was in her best interest to ensure the comfort of her alien guests.

Soon enough, Alexa had set up Wolf's bed and the Yautja hunter laid down upon it. She thought that perhaps his weight may be an issue, but surprisingly it wasn't. A faint creak could be heard, but it seemed like Wolf was able to take this bed without any further problems that night.

After the Yautja hunter got himself settled in, Alexa said her goodnight; only to be then stopped yet again.

"Alexa, there aren't any Bad Bloods on this planet, right?" He questioned her with a sense of concern in his voice. Wolf couldn't stop thinking about the possibility that another Bad Blood massacre was about to be sparked, this time on Earth's very own soil. No doubt Cage and the rest of the Forsaken Blades would eventually come to this world in search of them all, but what if that wasn't everything? He needed to know right here, right now.

"There is one, but he's contained inside the walls of a heavily guarded cell in the research facility where I work. Don't worry though, he's most likely not going to break out anytime soon." Replied Alexa as she headed upstairs, leaving him alone in the living room.

This didn't seem to ease Wolf's trepidation, but he was at least content that a real answer had been given to him. He decided that maybe he shouldn't continue to ponder it any longer and just get a good night's rest while he was here inside Alexa's home. It was after all, the wise thing to do.

* * *

After Alexa had gotten Wolf and Gua'ytaan settled into their designated sleeping locations inside her house, she decided to head back upstairs and climb back into bed with Scar. When she opened the door however, Alexa was met with a rather dismal sight.

She saw Scar just sitting there on the bed, facing away from her, slouched over and looking very troubled.

As Alexa approached the Yautja hunter, she knew exactly what was concerning him. "Scar, I'm sorry that our clan has been slaughtered." She spoke to him in an effort to hopefully restore serenity to his mind.

"Cage will pay for what he's done and when he arrives on Earth; we'll hunt him down for good. I promise." The words his Life Mate said reminded Scar that not all faith in the future of the Shadow Hunter clan had been lost.

Four members still remained alive and though he knew that they could not face the Forsaken Blades alone, they would find some way to combat this threat.

As Alexa sat down next to Scar on the edge of their bed, he looked at her once more. That smile on her face showed true determination and Scar could also tell that she was also quite firm on showing the Yautja hunter that her true hunting spirit still lingered deep in her heart. It made him feel…happy once again.

He then wrapped his right arm around Alexa before replying to her.

"I like your idea, Alexa. We shall all receive our revenge and Cage along with the rest of his Bad Blood friends will suffer punishment in the name of Cenatu himself." Scar said, undoubtedly keen on avenging his fallen brethren from Cage's own filthy betrayal.

"Yeah, I like it too. Only thing is however, how long do you think it'll be until Cage and the rest of the Forsaken Blades make their way to Earth?" She questioned the Yautja hunter again.

"I have no idea, Alexa. The actions of Bad Bloods can be unpredictable and I'm no Enforcer. We might have to wait here for as long as it may take." Replied Scar, stating that there was no way to know for sure how long it may take for these traitorous murderers to cross paths with the survivors of the clan. A wait was guaranteed, that was without a doubt; though it's exact length remained unknown to them all.

However, they would not need to wait for as long as they had initially believed; for Cage and his fellow Bad Blood brethren were already on their way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: Hey everyone, Cosmic Sword11 back yet again with another chapter for Predator and Prey. This chapter was a bit longer than I originally wanted it to be, but at least it's not as long as the previous one. It took forever for me to write and go over a chapter with a 10,000 word count. Anyways, I hope that you guys enjoyed this chapter and please remember to R&R regardless if you're reading this on FFN or AO3. That would be most appreciated. Without any further redo, this is Cosmic Sword11 signing off.


	19. Chapter 18: Of Yautja And Man

**Chapter 18: Of Yautja And Man**

While Alexa knew that it was her duty to provide refuge for both Wolf and Gua'ytaan after the Shadow Hunter clan fell, she found the task of housing three Yautja hunters inside her own home to be rather tiresome.

She spent her entire Sunday explaining aspects of human culture and technology to her Yautja guests, which was much easier said than done. Alexa also assumed that if Gua'ytaan and Wolf could speak her language so well, they would at least know a few things about human culture; but that apparently wasn't the case at all.

They only seemed to be familiar with the basics of what human beings were with no clear in-depth study taking place between either one of them. No knowledge on cultural norms, traditions or values; just their biology and bit of history, which also wasn't factually accurate according to Alexa's comprehension. It appeared that the Yautja race had much to learn about humanity and she was keen on enlightening these extra-terrestrials about the truth; despite her not being a scholar by profession.

So that's just what Alexa did.

She told them everything about human culture which Scar had already picked up from her as well as some new material that her Life Mate wasn't acquainted with too. This included human laws regarding murder and other such taboo subjects, the presence of Xenomorphs where she worked and how general human society functioned in this modern world.

Some parts were easy for the Yautja to comprehend, while others just outright baffled them and left them utterly dumbfounded. Though they knew that each sapient species in the Milky Way Galaxy had their own distinctive culture and traditions, these human beings were particularly odd in their own eyes; especially since the Yautja could see a shred of themselves inside the humans for some odd reason.

Was it because of their similar body structure to one another, or was it something else entirely?

Neither Gua'ytaan nor Wolf could say for sure, but one thing was certain. They were stranded on this world with no way to leave and there were also the looming threats of both Bad Bloods and the Kiande Amedha about to cause mayhem. When exactly the carnage would begin was still unknown to them all, but it was clear that now was not the time to fight for survival.

The Yautja siblings just had to do what their companion Scar had to do; lay low and remain unknown to the rest of humanity.

However, educating these Yautja in her home wasn't the only thing Alexa had on her agenda. She still knew that Gua'ytaan and Wolf had to be fed; which at first didn't seem too hard at first. Alexa then remembered that Yautja seemed to much larger appetites than normal human beings like her did.

After all, Scar did devour a pretty large portion of pot roast at dinner the previous evening. Now that was going to be tripled since she assumed that Gua'ytaan and Wolf might have the same eating habits as her Life Mate did. She also took into consideration what a Yautja diet would consist of; mostly meat and fruit from her experience.

Apparently both Wolf and Gua'ytaan were astonished that most humans didn't hunt for their own food anymore. The mere concept of a grocery store was simply so alien to the minds of Yautja that they found it completely absurd. Alexa had to explain to them both that this wasn't hunting territory nor was it hunting season this time of year.

It's not like she had a choice for her means of gathering food for everyone in the house right now. She also had to admit that hunting wasn't exactly something she'd prefer to do in her everyday life, since it could potentially interfere with her job at Weyland-Yutani. Thankfully, Alexa's fellow clan members were considerate and understanding towards her words.

She prepared a dinner of lamb chops, which her alien guests seemed to enjoy just fine.

Despite all of that doing well in her favour, Alexa still had trouble getting rest that night. With the news that the Shadow Hunter clan was in total ruins by the very Yautja who attempted to murder her in cold blood, she couldn't help but have cold feet in bed.

It made her feel timid, scared about whenever Cage and the rest of his Bad Blood collaborators would make their way to Earth and finish the purge of Scar's bloodline. Alexa knew that he had to be out there in space somewhere, no doubt plotting to slaughter her along with her dearest Life Mate and the last surviving brethren under her roof.

Only time would tell whenever the forsaken traitor would venture to her domain and try to paint the grass red; and that was eventually what brought shivers down Alexa's spine that night.

Eventually she did make it to sleep, but before she knew it her morning alarm woke her up for her job at Weyland-Yutani.

* * *

The following morning as Alexa walked into the lab, her co-worker Pablo De Rosa noticed that something was a little off about her. She just seemed under the weather at first, but Pablo began to suspect that his own predictions might not be the truth; especially after the last time he tried to foresee the secrets Alexa kept behind his back. He approached Alexa with a notepad in hand and spoke up to her.

"Hey Alexa, are you feeling alright?" Questioned Pablo.

He sincerely hoped that she would still be up to conducting more tests on the captive Yautja specimen today.

"Yeah, it's just that yesterday was a bit much for me to handle on my own." Replied Alexa, which only seemed to mystify Pablo in the process.

"What do you mean?" He inquired once more.

"Well, I don't have a Yautja in my house anymore…now I have 3." Alexa stated in response.

This caused Pablo to drop his notepad on the ground out of utter shock. Now there were 2 more Yautja present on this planet? What exactly was he supposed to do? His mind became flooded with these questions running wild and he wasn't sure how to react from this completely unexpected news.

"You what?!" Pablo blurted out in total confusion.

"I can explain this Pablo, please listen to me." Alexa pleaded to her co-worker to just hear her words and then hopefully understand the truth behind it all.

To her surprise, Pablo actually listened to her this time around.

"Alright then, tell me why there are two more of these Yautja in your house right now, Alexa." Pablo ordered.

It was clear to Alexa that he was admittingly still somewhat frightened of these alien hunters, but she needed to come clean and tell him the true reason why.

"Ok…you know how I mentioned that Scar's clan took me up in their ship and inducted me into their bloodline?" Asked Alexa, assuming that Pablo actually believed that her experience beyond planet Earth was in fact reality.

"Yeah, I'm still a bit ambivalent on that part, so what does that have to do with all this?" Pablo questioned yet again.

"Well, there was a massacre that left Scar's Yautja clan in ruins. The two Yautja who are staying at my place in addition to Scar are the only survivors." Explained Alexa, briefly summarizing the tragedy that she learned about the other night. She hoped that Pablo would show at least a small shred of sympathy for the innocent souls claimed in that ungodly skirmish, even if those who fell victim were not the same flesh and blood as his own. Thankfully, that was exactly what happened too.

"Oh. That's…terrible. I'm honestly kind of sorry to hear that about Scar's clan." Pablo said in a rather desolate tone of speech, revealing that he really did feel benevolent for Scar's fallen brothers and sisters.

It gave Alexa some hope that perhaps Pablo might actually drop this contempt born from the fear he held towards the Yautja species. From the way he felt about learning that Scar had lost his entire family, that seemed like an entirely feasible possibility in the near future. Maybe that could even happen on this very day for all she knew.

"So now you're finally seeing the truth about these Yautja, Pablo?" Questioned Alexa, equally surprised as she was happy to know that his views on these extra-terrestrial hunters had changed since he met Scar a few days ago.

"Yes, I suppose that I am. Ever since I met Scar in that; how should I put this…web of conflicting opinions, I've been doing a lot of thinking about these Yautja. I mean, it was actually kind of hard for me to not think about them after that incident on Friday." Explained Pablo, stating that his stance on the Yautja species had indeed changed drastically.

He longer thought of them as a barbaric race who strived to kill anyone they pleased, but instead something that felt much more…human.

"That's good to hear, Pablo. You haven't told anyone else about this, right?" Alexa inquired, hoping that her colleague didn't spill the beans with anyone else and reveal the truth of the Yautja hunters to Weyland-Yutani or possibly even the rest of the world.

Pablo thankfully didn't, as for now it remained a secret between them both.

"No, of course not. If I did tell anyone else about Scar, Weyland-Yutani would've already captured him by now." Stated Pablo in response.

"I suppose that's a fair point." Alexa retorted as she realized that he was indeed correct.

Weyland-Yutani already had one Yautja held in captivity, but just the like the Xenomorphs; they would impound as many live specimens as they deemed necessary for scientific research. She also remembered that it was entirely possible for the Yautja to be labelled as a threat to humanity and perhaps even hunted down by armed forces, so Alexa was relieved to know that no one else besides her co-worker knew about her secretive relationship with an extra-terrestrial being.

Nonetheless, there was something else she still desired to uncover.

"But why exactly have you changed your views on the Yautja? Was it just because of Scar, or is it something else?" She wanted to know the true reason why Pablo now thought of the Yautja entirely different than he had before. As much as it made Alexa feel glad, she couldn't help but feel there was something else missing from the greater picture.

"A little bit of both actually." Pablo specified his perspective clearly, to which Alexa was somewhat taken by surprise.

The answer still remained rather imprecise towards her, so she requested that he was to further elaborate on his previous remark.

"Really? Well then, could you please tell me why?" Alexa requested Pablo once more.

"Of course. Meeting Scar was a…interesting experience for me. It made me think more about his people and what made them so alien yet human at the same time. And now, I believe that I have an answer for that." He went on to clarify himself in brief yet shrewd detail before querying her another inquiry.

"Alexa, have you by any chance studied psychology before?" He asked her yet again.

"Um…no. I can't say that I have." Replied Alexa, caught in a fog to why he was all of a sudden posing her this new question out the blue. Surely there had to be come reason why Pablo even bothered to ask her this in the first place.

"Well I have, and there's something regarding that which I should share with you. It's called the Halo/Horns Effect." Pablo explained.

"Halo/Horns Effect? What exactly is that?" Alexa inquired, utterly confused to what exactly this supposed psychological principle was.

"It's a cognitive bias in which someone's impression of another person will influence their own personal views on that said person. When I first saw the face of a Yautja, I was struck with fear; almost as if I was looking right at the devil himself. Because of that, I began to believe that these Yautja creatures were indeed monsters at heart." Pablo went on to describe what this part of psychology was and how it affected him to deem the Yautja species as nothing more than a bunch of monstrous beasts.

"So, it's how we perceive something beautiful as good and something hideous as evil?" Alexa questioned once more.

"Yes, but that's not all of it. Besides, I'm telling you about why I've changed my stance on these Yautja; not giving you a private psychology lecture." Replied Pablo, stating that he didn't want to get sidetracked and finish explaining everything important to Alexa without any further interruptions.

"I understand, please continue." Alexa said in response, fully acknowledging his words and eager to know what else he had to say.

"Anyway, I kept holding onto that false notion until I met Scar. He still terrified me, but at the same time from the way I saw him interacting and communicating with you; I began to realize how human he really was. That's when I knew that…I was wrong." Pablo put in plain words, stating that his own judgement shadowed himself from the true nature of the Yautja hunters. He let a subconscious function of his own mind overcome him when caught in the face of inhumanity; believing it to truly be nothing more than pure malevolence at its core.

It made him feel so…mislead and deceived, and there was no one else but himself to blame for this.

Alexa honestly didn't know what to make of this. She knew very well that Pablo had been quite prejudiced and xenophobic towards extra-terrestrials from the day he first discovered the Yautja species, but that all changed because of her Life Mate Scar?

It left a warm feeling inside her heart, understanding that the very actions he did caused another human being to look at his kind in a different way; to see the true soul imbedded deep inside the shell.

"So, does that mean…you don't hate the Yautja anymore?" Questioned Alexa. She desperately hoped that he really had dropped the narrow-minded ethos he held onto. Pablo shook his dead in reply.

"Yes, but I'm still little frightened of them. I mean, they look like they could tear you to shreds with ease." He said in response with a slight shudder in his voice, stating that not everything had been cleared up with him just yet.

Alexa understood his fear of the Yautja to some extent, as she too felt quite uneasy around the members of the Shadow Hunter clan when she was first brought aboard their mothership. Of course, she was eventually able to warm up to their presence and admittingly missed some of them when she finally returned to Earth. It also cut her deep when she learned about the slaughter that left almost the entire clan deceased, though not nearly to the same emotional extent of Scar.

"Pablo, I don't care if you're afraid of the Yautja or not. As long as you don't hold any kind of resentment for their species because of how they look, that's fine with me. After all, I know that most humans won't be able to understand the Yautja as well as I do." Alexa stated in response, informing him that simply fearing an inhuman creature from another world wasn't anything too spiteful.

"Yes, but…I want to know more about them." Pablo said, catching the attention of Alexa in the process.

She wasn't expecting this from him at all, especially after all the vindictive things he said towards the Yautja race under his own trepidation. Nevertheless, it still made her glad to know that Pablo agreed to the idea of opening up his mind towards these Yautja hunters.

"Is that so? Tell you what, Pablo. How about today after our shifts are over, I'll bring over to my place and introduce you to these Yautja?" She asked her co-worker once more.

"Yeah, that sounds fine; granted as long as Scar doesn't try to kill me again." Replied Pablo with a somewhat nervous chuckle to his voice.

"Oh, don't worry. Scar won't do that since now he understands that you are not a threat to any of us. Trust me on this one, Pablo." Alexa said in response with a generous smile, assuring him that he had nothing to truly be afraid of.

As skeptical as he was, Pablo decided to take Alexa's words with a grain of salt until he found out himself. He wouldn't be content until he could be certain that his previous encounter with the Yautja would end up repeating itself.

* * *

Later that evening after Alexa and Pablo' shifts for the day had been finished, they both drove off to Alexa's home.

Pablo had to admit that he was a little jealous that Alexa had a much better house than he did, but then again; he chose to spend a good portion of his payments from his job at Weyland-Yutani on expensive automobiles instead of a nice spacious home. He had his reasons and wasn't going to complain about his own choices in life or anything else that petty.

Nonetheless, it was now time for him to reconnect with Scar and introduce himself to the other survivors of his fallen clan. Pablo's car followed behind Alexa's at reasonable distance and remained at the same speed until they finally pulled up into the driveway about a half hour later.

Exiting their vehicles, Pablo took a glance at a nearby tree that looked like it had been relentlessly torn apart and knocked down not too long ago. He could tell that whoever or whatever attacked it didn't use an axe or any type of bladed weapon, which only seemed to create an even more unsettling sensation in his gut. Pablo then thought that perhaps one of the Yautja inside Alexa's own house at the moment was the one who ferociously decimated this very tree. Maybe it was even Scar for all he knew.

It seemed entirely possible, so that's exactly what came to his mind.

He nervously swallowed and looked back at Alexa as she began to unlock the front door. Walking up to her, Pablo decided that maybe it wasn't best for him to fret on about that one detail that gave him an uneasy feeling inside. After all, he might even receive an answer for that question currently floating around in his mind. Alexa unlocked the front door and walked inside, to which Pablo promptly followed suit and entered as well.

Once they both stood inside the foyer of the house, Alexa called out to her alien guests and Life Mate too.

"Guys, we have a guest here who wants to meet you all!"

Her voice wasn't quite a shout but it was clearly loud enough to gain the attention of all three Yautja present in the building. Soon enough, a familiar looking figure emerged from the hallway. Pablo recognized it as the Yautja hunter with the massive blemish found across his chest; no doubt he was Scar.

Upon meeting with the alien's glance once again, he couldn't help but involuntarily quiver with fear. Even with his new duties of examining a live Yautja specimen, Pablo himself had not become accustomed to seeing these alien hunters. The fact that Scar wasn't restrained and the possibility that he could lash out and kill him if he truly wanted to made Pablo feel all the more anxious around him.

Scar on the other hand had no sense of fear in his eyes, but instead the Yautja hunter looked rather disappointed to see this man again.

"Really, Alexa? Your co-worker again? Why did you bring him here?" He inquired in a clearly unhappy tone of voice.

Pablo remembered his human-like voice, raspy and coarse yet easily comprehensible. At least he knew that there wouldn't be any type of miscommunication between the two of them this time around.

"Scar, please. He's a guest in our home so at least show him a little respect. And don't worry, I'll tell you why Pablo's here in the first place eventually." Replied Alexa, informing Scar to improve his mannerisms whenever another human was inside their home. "It's…nice to see you again, Scar." Pablo spoke rather timidly as he reintroduced himself to the alien hunter. He couldn't help but feel a bit uptight as he stood within his presence.

Just then, two more Yautja figures emerged; catching the attention of Pablo in the process.

He noticed how the first one looked quite similar to Scar, minus the obvious blotch on his chest. From first glance, he might have been able to mistake them for one another; so, he naturally assumed that these two Yautja were brothers by blood. It just had to make sense, especially since no other theory could come to his mind now either. He also noted that this other male Yautja was wearing bandages, almost as if he was recovering from some kind of injury.

While this Yautja didn't seem to frighten him any more than Scar did, the same could not be said with the final Yautja present. The first thing he became aware of was that this one appeared to be much larger than all the others; as Scar and the one his assumed was his brother both stood at around 7 feet tall.

This other Yautja was almost 9 feet tall from his own conjecture without actually measuring its body. Pablo then saw that the shape of this Yautja was different too as well, with it's build being much more feminine despite also being quite muscular too. The obvious mammary breasts confirmed that this other Yautja was in fact a female; but even that didn't prevent Pablo from being thunderstruck with dread filling his veins while in her presence.

It only seemed to make him feel even more petrified given how tall she was compared to his average height.

A bead of sweat ran down the side of his face as he tried to say something to the aliens standing before him, but the words just wouldn't come out.

The Yautja took notice of how they managed to terrify this human male without even trying to be intimidating at all, realizing that they must do something in order to ease his current state of nervousness.

Alexa also saw what was trembling over her co-worker and decided that she too must step in and assist him somehow.

"Look, Pablo. I know you may think that these Yautja are terrifying creatures to look at, but believe me when I say that they are not going to hurt you." She spoke to him, hoping that maybe her words could work as some form of consolation.

"Alexa's right, we have no such intentions to harm you in any way." Replied the other male Yautja, whose true name remained unknown to Pablo's recollection.

Just like Scar, his voice sounded quite gruff and hoarse but was slightly more human-like to his surprise. This gave him the impression that perhaps these aliens really weren't ruthless killers like he had originally believed.

"Ok…I'm Pablo De Rosa, Alexa's co-worker." He fretfully presented himself to these Yautja which he naturally assumed we unaccustomed to him entirely.

"Oh, you're that ooman male Alexa told us about. She said that you both worked on analyzing Kiande Amedha and that you also have a Bad Blood in captivity as well." The female Yautja spoke in response.

Her voice just like the others sounded coarse and raspy, but it still had a feminine touch to it as well. Pablo could safely say that the voice of this alien female was certainly the most human-like out of all the bunch standing before him. He began to feel that maybe human-like souls did exist within these Yautja shells that appeared so brutish and menacing to the eye.

Just then, the female Yautja reached one of her claws over to Pablo and attempted to touch him on the shoulder. He almost immediately jumped back in a single involuntary movement as a response. While he was starting to no longer feel intimidated by their appearance alone, Pablo was still disinclined to allow any of these aliens to physically touch him in any way at all.

"Woah, what the fuck are you doing?! Keep your hands off me!" He snapped at the female alien as he pressed his own back up against the wall.

"Pablo, calm down. She's not trying to hurt you, I swear. All she is doing is simply introducing herself to you." Alexa said as an effort to attempt easing her co-worker's nerves.

"She just tried to grab my shoulder, didn't you see that?!" Pablo retorted once more, disbelieving Alexa's justification to the female Yautja's actions.

"That's how Yautja formally introduce themselves, Pablo. It's basically their own equivalent to a handshake." Replied Alexa, stating what the gesture truly meant; shutting down any possible misinterpretations her co-worker might have towards their body language alone.

Pablo took her words in, knowing that there was a great chance that she might be right. After all, she did manage to become part of an alien bloodline that by this point in time ceased to exist. He looked back at the female Yautja standing before him.

Although he couldn't entirely comprehend her true emotions since the body language of these aliens were still rather foreign to his eyes; Pablo was able to tell that she was upset from the way he countered to what was nothing more than a simple introduction of oneself in her culture. She didn't appear to be angry or on the verge of tears, but clearly not happy either.

The female alien was disappointed that she couldn't even introduce herself to another human without being shouted at and eyed with pure fear. Pablo took another step forward and looked up at the alien's inhuman face that somehow showed some kind of soul within its amber reptilian-like eyes. He knew that she deserved an apology for the way he reacted to a harmless gesture.

"Look, I'm sorry about that…I didn't mean to lash out at you. It's just that…you're a pretty big girl and usually women over 6 feet tall kind of intimidate me." He expressed his regret towards the female Yautja, admitting that it wasn't her fault entirely for sending shivers down his spine.

In response to his confession of guilt, the female Yautja began to chuckle. She couldn't help but snicker at the mere fact that females that stood physically higher than his average stature for his own species actually daunted him a little bit. Even in the mindset of a Yautja, it still seemed rather humorous.

"You're forgiven, Pablo De Rosa. Also, don't worry if you feel a little intimidated by me, because you're not the only one. Believe me, plenty of Yautja males are intimidated by us females." The female Yautja replied with a sense of comicalness present in her voice.

She then placed an open claw on the shoulder of the human male standing before her. This time, he did not evade her and instead opted to let the female alien formally introduce herself for real this time. To Pablo's surprise, the claws of the Yautja felt rather gentle. It was clear that she was doing her best to maintain a tender touch, and he now saw zero hostile intent inside this female Yautja.

"My name's Gua'ytaan. It's nice to meet you." She said, finally revealing her true name to Pablo.

"That's an…interesting name." The male human responded, commenting on the foreign name the alien bared; which he found to be quite outlandish and a little bit hard for him to pronounce in his tongue.

"It's a traditional Yautja name, I believe that in your language it loosely translates to 'Summer's Heat'; but I could be mistaken." Replied Gua'ytaan, notifying what her otherworldly name supposedly meant when translated into a human dialect.

This caught Alexa by surprise, as she did not understand why the female Yautja never bothered to inform her this when they first met back on the mothership.

"How come you didn't tell me that before?" Questioned Alexa, immensely curious to know whatever the true reason was.

"It…never occurred to me back then. As intelligent as we Yautja are, we don't always think logically." Gua'ytaan replied with a shrug. She couldn't believe that she never once thought to tell her human sister-in-law the true meaning behind her traditional Yautja name.

"Hey, neither do we. That's one thing both of our species have in common." Pablo said with a slight cackle in his speech. For the first time in his life, he was able to find some middle ground between both human and Yautja.

He then looked over at the unacquainted male Yautja standing near Gua'ytaan. Knowing that he must familiarize himself with this alien too, Pablo took a couple steps forward.

"And your name is…" He began with an inquiry.

"Wolf, I'm Gua'ytaan's brother by blood." The male alien introduced himself in the same manner as done by his sister before him.

* * *

Soon enough, the five of them were situated in the living room where they finally began to discuss their lives with Alexa's new co-worker. Alexa had prepared some tea for the occasion, as she believed that a nice warm beverage would go well nice with an evening of conversation. On the couch were Alexa, Scar and Gua'ytaan. Wolf and Pablo sat on their own individual chairs, still facing their companions from the opposite side of the coffee table.

"So, Pablo, Alexa says that you wish to know more about us Yautja. What would you like to know first?" Questioned Gua'ytaan, eager to spread new light on this human who still remained unaccustomed to the Yautja race. "Well to be quite honest, I don't even know where to start." Replied Pablo before taking a sip of his tea.

"Oh, wait! I got one. How exactly are you Yautja able to speak human languages so fluently?" He inquired with much peculiar interest.

It was something that he really didn't understand since with those inhuman faces bearing mandibles; the ability to verbalize any human dialect was beyond astonishing to his mind. How could anything so otherworldly possibly talk like any normal person with ease? This information Pablo needed to know because the question itself bothered him greatly with no way for him to answer it himself.

"Since we evolved as a predatory hunting race, our vocal cords allow us to mimic the sounds of our prey. Coincidentally, they also allow us to copy the languages of certain species we hunt." Replied Wolf, providing an answer that all of a sudden now seemed so blatantly obvious to the male human.

Even though Pablo was given the response he wanted, he couldn't help but ask another question in regard to his previous inquiry too.

"Is it really that easy for you though?"

Gua'ytaan shook her head in response.

"Sadly, no. We are able to comprehend your mother tongue without difficulty, but speaking a language that was not built for our jaws takes quite a bit of practice. Me and Wolf have been practicing how to speak the dialect of your people for several years, but Scar still struggled to annunciate smoothly when he first met Alexa." She replied, explaining that it wasn't that simple for a Yautja to attempt to converse in any human language.

Pablo once again believed her words, as they felt true and genuine. He went in for another swig of his tea when he was presented with another question, this time coming from Alexa.

"Ok, Pablo. What do you want to know next?" She asked her guest, ready to answer whatever possible Yautja-related query that he might have for her next.

"Actually, Alexa; this next one is for both you and Scar. How did you and Scar end up together like this?"

She was about to sip her tea when Pablo asked her this, prompting her to freeze for a brief moment. Explaining the tale of how a human woman like herself fell for an extra-terrestrial hunter wasn't exactly the most straightforward story, but she knew that it had to be done for Pablo's sake.

"Oh. Well, you know how I mentioned that Scar and I first met on the Antarctic island of Bouvetøya where the expedition took place?" Started Alexa, assuming that he remembered that detail she mentioned to him earlier.

"Yeah, I vaguely remember that." Replied Pablo. "Our partnership together began by simple trust. We had a common enemy inside the pyramid that was going to kill us both, the Xenomorphs; so, we put aside our differences and fought together in the name of survival." Explained Alexa, stating that the bond between her and the Yautja didn't originally start as it appeared now.

"During that time, I saw how skilled Alexa truly was. Granted she was only using whatever meant necessary to stay alive, but I decided that she was far too valuable to kill. She proved herself to be beyond worthy prey for a Yautja like me." Scar jumped in, adding his views on the tale as well.

Pablo had to admit, listening to both sides of the story gave him new insight to how this xenophilic relationship came to be and what made it to unique. It was oddly charming in a way.

"After we survived the battle at the pyramid, Scar was severely wounded and bleeding out on the ice. I wanted to try and save his life, but there was nothing I could do. That was when he gave me the Mark of Honor by rubbing some of his own blood on my cheek right here." Alexa further elucidated as she pointed to the alien-like scar burned onto her face.

"Thankfully, my clan's mothership arrived just in time and by brothers dragged both of us out of the snow to save us from dying." Scar continued to insert his own voice as well, while keeping the truth as crystal clear as possible for the sake of their guest for the evening. "I was welcomed into Scar's bloodline and my request to return home had been accepted by the clan's main elder. Unfortunately, there was a Yautja aboard that ship who didn't take too kindly to me at all. His name was Cage and he tried to murder me." This caught the attention of Pablo, who now had his interest peeked upon hearing this shocking news.

Wolf and Gua'ytaan however almost seemed to shudder as they heard Alexa say that name.

Pablo didn't entirely understand why that single word made these two Yautja feel so uneasy, but clearly there must've been some reason why. Maybe it had come connection to the news that Scar's bloodline had been decimated. He could only assume without a true definitive answer available to him at the moment.

Pablo also couldn't ignore the fact that one of these Yautja attempted to kill Alexa; which made him believe that maybe they too weren't immune to the same prejudices found within human blood.

It added a further sense of humanity to these extra-terrestrial beings he otherwise wouldn't have found at first glance of that inhuman face.

"Thankfully, I intervened and stopped him before he could kill her. Cage was put on trial and sentenced into exile for the attempted murder of Alexa. I still think that he should've received a much more suitable punishment for such a disloyal action…death." Scar said with a shred of anger present in his voice.

Pablo understood why the Yautja hunter felt this way, as he knew that Scar showed a romantic interest in his co-worker and he struck him as somewhat shielding towards his mate. It only made sense that he would wish for such dark retribution against the one who betrayed his clan and nearly slew the one whom he loved so dearly.

"Once we finally arrived back on Earth, Scar confessed his love to me. I was a little apprehensive at first, but I just went on with it just to see how it would turn out. It's actually gone surprisingly well actually." Explained Alexa, wrapping up the simplified version of their tale which she hoped Pablo would grasp entirely.

"Ok then…that was certainly an interesting story. But why exactly did Scar fall for you in the first place when you're not even the same species?" Pablo inquired once more, as he took in both of their words but couldn't understand why two members of entirely different species could possibly exist in such a bond like this.

There was a missing piece to the puzzle he could not find and with any stroke of luck, the likelihood that he might uncover it thanks to his co-worker and her alien companions still remained feasible. Alexa was also intrigued by this question, as she didn't quite understand it from the perspective of a Yautja like her Life Mate. She never asked Scar the true reasons why he ever became attracted to a human woman like herself; but that would change on this very evening.

"I knew that Alexa was a skilled hunter when I first met her on the pyramid, but it wasn't until I learned that she cared for the other members of the clan and sparing Cage from spilling her blood that I understood a warm feeling inside me; my love for Alexa." Explained Scar.

It was at this moment that Alexa finally understood the true reasons why the Yautja hunter truly felt this way towards her.

He was touched at how a human like her actually cared about his clan.

He hated seeing her in any kind of pain that reminded him of the agony which he suffered during the aftermath of the pyramid battle.

He wanted to protect her at all costs, even if it meant he had to resort to killing others or maybe sacrificing himself too.

Though she knew that Scar's shielding actions toward her were very overprotective, Alexa understood that his heart truly was in the right place. Never would this alien harm her in any way.

"Wow. Scar, you have no idea how much that means to me." She said in response, as her heartstrings had been indubitably plucked.

"I have to admit, when you first told me that you and this Yautja were in some kind of romantic relationship, I was revolted. But now, I think it's actually kind of charming in way. Sort of like Beauty And The Beast…if that story ever involved killer aliens that is." Stated Pablo, jumping back into the conversation once more.

Gua'ytaan tilted her head in confusion upon hearing that statement. She was oblivious to the tales of human folklore, so there was simply no way that this alien would understand the comparison made by Alexa's co-worker.

"I don't understand, is that some kind of human legend?" Inquired the female Yautja.

"Not exactly a legend, but a tale. It's about a princess who was captured by a prince under a cure that turned him into a monstrous creature and kept inside his castle. She eventually fell for him after she learned more about the prince. I'm not sure why, but the relationship between Alexa and Scar kind of reminds me of that." Explained Pablo, briefly summarizing a classic and timeless story from human literature for the aliens present in the room.

Alexa knew that she had not developed Stockholm Syndrome towards Scar, so she could not agree with resemblance he made; though she still at least understood why he had made that comparison in the first place.

"That's a pretty interesting analogy right there. I never thought of it that way. Still, I'm glad that he chose me as his one and only Life Mate." She replied with strange feeling of oddity in her mind as she took another sip of tea.

Maybe the way that another human could potentially sway Alexa's own perspective on her relationship with Scar. By now, it seemed like an entirely possible outcome; but of course, she could never so sure with her own estimates.

Pablo couldn't help but become inquisitive upon hearing Alexa refer herself as Scar's "Life Mate", whatever that supposedly meant. He understood that there was clearly a romantic bond between the woman and the alien, yet unfamiliarity with Yautja culture and traditions clouded his own perception.

"Hold up, you're Scar's 'Life Mate'? What's that supposed to mean?" Questioned Pablo, completely mystified by this term.

"It means that Alexa is the one partner I chose to limit myself to and she contently agreed to this; making us both mates under Paya's all-encompassing light until death claims us both." Explained Scar, stating the true meaning behind this name within Yautja culture.

A dumbfounded look formed across Pablo's face, unable to comprehend what he had just heard. From the way the Yautja hunter described it, there was only one thing that the human male could think of.

"So…does that make Scar your husband or something?" Asked Pablo as he turned his head to face Alexa.

"Marriage does not exist within Yautja culture. We rely on spiritual bonding between mates instead. It's a tradition that goes back to the dawn of our kind on Yautja Prime aeons ago. Alexa and I have already bonded together and our relationship is official." The Yautja hunter proceeded to clarify his words, putting an end to any possible misconceptions from Alexa's co-worker.

"Okay then. Now what exactly happened to Scar's clan? Why was it destroyed?" Pablo inquired yet again, this time questioning on the most notorious story the Yautja had left to reveal.

He didn't want to learn more about Scar and Alexa's newfound sex life, so he opted to ask about the calamity that resulted in these two Yautja siblings here temporarily.

Wolf and Gua'ytaan both bowed their heads low upon hearing the human male request, almost as if they were sulking. It became clear that this recent experience had rattled them greatly, as Pablo could only imagine how devastating it would be to lose one's entire bloodline in only a single day. A few seconds of stillness filled the room's air until the sound of Wolf clicking his mandibles broke the silence.

"Cage betrayed our clan. After we exiled him, he sided with a gang of Bad Bloods known as the Forsaken Blades. They ambushed our mothership and slaughtered everyone aboard. Me and Gua'ytaan were the only ones lucky enough to make it out alive." Replied Wolf, explaining the tragedy in a sombre tone that showed his true dismal emotions.

"Oh. That's terrible. I'm really sorry to hear about that." Pablo said in response, expressing sorrow for the catastrophe of the Yautja clan that actually felt genuine.

He sincerely felt misery in his heart, a feeling which he was almost certain could only be held in regards to other human beings. It made him realize that he had truly found a sense of humanity within the body of an otherworldly creature, which in turn only seemed to give further thought into what exactly it meant to be human.

Little did Pablo De Rosa know however, that the real question he should've been asking himself was what exactly made life sapient?

Sure enough, he would be querying that very point sooner than anticipated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: Hey everyone, Cosmic Sword11 here with another chapter for Predator and Prey. I hope you guys enjoyed it and stay tuned for another one hopefully coming out soon; even if this chapter may have just been a load of filler. Also, if any of you are interested; check out the prologue for the next Galactic Threat story I have posted titled And Justice For All. I haven't gotten much feedback from that story since I initially posted it on both FFN and AO3, so I hope that I can get that story some more attention if any of you guys are interested. Anyway, please remember to R&R regardless of which platform you chose to read my fic on and I'll see you guys again later. Also, I hope that you had a merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, etc.


	20. Chapter 19: Outbreak

**Chapter 19: Outbreak**

Inside his containment cell, the Bad Blood Yautja remained in a state of slumber.

He knew that this was his prison, incarcerated inside this laboratory against his will. However much longer he would continue to be kept under lock and key was a mystery, but one thing was still certain in his mind. As soon as the Bad Blood were to find his way out of this confinement, he would seek out that blooded human woman and kill her.

Like many other Bad Bloods, his resentment of the sacred Yautja Honor Code was tremendous and the abandonment of traditional Yautja cultural values associated with his position as a rogue fugitive only seemed to further shape his unlawful way of life. The Forsaken Blades had a strict ideology shared among their members that any and all conventional ethics of Yautja civilization were to be relinquished no matter what. They were forlorn, left out in the cold by Paya herself according to their own twisted rationales that were no more than fabricated truths in reality.

He was no different from the others, yet trapped within the clutches of these low-life humans and their research facility. Dreaming of bathing in the blood of this woman supposedly blooded under Yautja law, even the mere thought of her existence was enough to trigger subconscious notions in the Yautja's mind that she must be slain.

Of course, there was nothing else the alien brute could do. Breaking out of this institution proved to be easier said than done, as the glass of his holding cell was entirely bulletproof and could not be shattered with his own bare claws alone. Not to mention, a series of armed guards also meant that even if he somehow was able to bust out of this cage, there was still a good chance that he might be shot down if he tried to escape. They may have only been low-life humans according to the Bad Blood, yet he understood that any prey armed with deadly weapons were still a force to be reckoned with.

After all, it wasn't like no Yautja in the history of their race's existence had ever failed on their hunts due to being outsmarted or even potentially outmatched by their own prey. It just wasn't worth the risk, so the Bad Blood Yautja just remained in his holding cell, laying down on the mediocre bed inside and continuing to sleep throughout the rest of the night. Maybe he wouldn't ever make it out of these walls imprisoning him inside.

Little did the Yautja know however, of the sudden containment breach about to spark at this laboratory on this very night.

* * *

Outside by the front gates of the Weyland-Yutani research facility, a couple of guards stood on lookout. Armed with their M4A1 carbines, they were prepared to threaten off any potential trespassers of this restricted area and shoot if deemed absolutely necessary. The bright light of the streetlamp standing above them illuminated their vicinity, leaving darkness standing off in the distance. So far in these darkened hours of the night, no such clutter had been started and everything according to these two guards seemed calm and tranquil.

Even while guarding a building containing several deadly alien creatures that would no doubt create chaos within the surrounding areas, they new that the chances of a possible containment breach were extremely slim. Or, at least that is what they had been told by their superiors. Nonetheless, the guards continued with their night shift. Eyes focused on their situations while some brief chatter went on between the two, it seemed like tonight might just be another unruffled and serene night.

"Hey, which of one of those aliens do you think would win in a fight? The Xeno, or the Predator?" The first guard questioned his partner, curious to know about his personal opinions on the two separate alien species held captive within the research facility they were tasked with guarding.

"Honestly, I'm not quite sure. That Xenomorph, whatever the hell it is; that thing gives me the creeps. Kind of reminds me of a giant parasite or bug of some sort. The Predator on the other hand, well that guy's just plain ugly. He looks pretty tough though. Both of them look like they're extremely deadly, so I cannot say for sure." Replied the second guard, stating that he was uncertain in his answer.

His subordinate agreed with a nod. It was clear that both of those alien fiends were no doubt precarious beyond comprehension, a possible danger to humanity as a whole for all they knew.

"I'll take your word for it." The first guard said, concurring with the remarks of his partner.

"If those aliens are enemies to each other and we get caught up in some kind of war with them, there's one thing I know that is definitely going to happen." He added after taking a quick swig of water from his canteen.

"And what would that be?" The second guard inquired, equally fearful as he was curious. A brief moment of silence filled the air between the two before he finally spoke up once more.

"Whoever wins, we might lose."

His voice was sombre and grave, almost as if he himself was absolutely certain that humanity would suffer defeat at the hands of these two opposing alien races on the soil of their own home planet. In fact, the first guard truly was afraid that such a malignant outcome of a potential clash between the Xenomorphs and the Predators would happen.

It troubled him greatly. His partner was not spared the fear either, as he too became ensnared by his own dread.

Just then, three tiny red dots appeared out of thin air; shining brightly on the first guard's body armour. His colleague glanced over and nearly jumped out of his own boots upon seeing them all.

"Oh shit!" He blurted out of shock, raising his rifle into the air as he aimed into the dark in search of a nearby trespasser.

The first guard took immediate notice after his partner's reaction, as he too pointed his rifle towards the same location. At first he saw nothing but the shadows of the night before his eyes, but then he detected something rather peculiar. It was some kind of flicker, almost like a mirage that came and when in a flash. He wasn't sure what exactly he had just witnessed, but knew what must be done.

Reaching for the trigger, the first guard was ready to fire upon whatever fiend would dare intrude a restricted area such as this Weyland-Yutani research facility.

Unfortunately for him, a deadly blast of plasma energy was launched directly at him. With no time to react, the lethal plasma bolt burned through his body armour and organic tissue with ease. His body then collapsed onto the ground as he let out his last dying breaths with a massive hole scorched through the center of his torso.

The second guard stared in terror as he watched his colleague die right at his feet, the smell of burning flesh filling the air around him. He began to scan his surroundings, breathing heavily as his heartbeat rose significantly. Someone or something had just taken the life of his friend and he was determined to find out what it was. It was something he was not willing to let slide, especially if that very thing out there in the dark was a threat to this research facility as well.

The sudden sound of what he could only imagine was a stick being crushed by someone's foot caught his attention, but he still could not see a thing in the distance. Switching on the underbarrel flashlight equipped on his rifle, the guard continued to gaze off into the void as he searched for whatever just slaughtered his co-worker. Still he found nothing out of the ordinary; just the trees and asphalt road that led to the building in his sight.

A bead of sweat began to slowly run down the side of his face, petrified of whatever menace was lurking out there in the darkness. He knew that there was something within his vicinity, even though he could not see it with the naked eye. A trepidation that his foe concealing itself the dark of the night may possibly be one of the two types of aliens held captive within this Weyland-Yutani research facility, yet he couldn't even decipher if the enemy was a Xenomorph or a Predator.

Regardless though, both of those killer aliens frightened him equally.

Undetected by the lone human guard, a cloaked figure began to sneak up on it's unsuspecting prey, making as little noise as physically possible. Stealthily treading through the night with it's blades drawn, another killing on this night was surely guaranteed. Here his game stood, panicking and left completely vulnerable just like the feeble creature he saw him as.

The camouflaged hunter took a few more careful steps until he halted right behind the human guard. It was clear that his prey had not noticed him, as he was still fixated on the darkness out in the distance.

He nearly found himself laughing at this lowlife, as the mere thought of their species being frightened of something that didn't exist was downright ludicrous to his own sinful kind. Without hesitation, the veiled alien hunter then stabbed the human guard in the neck with his wrist blades. Letting out a bubbling cry upon contact with the knives, the man quickly lost his vital signs and dropped dead on the scene.

The alien hunter didn't even bother to claim a kill trophy from his latest victim, as he simply saw this lowlife human as another pathetic, little obstacle that stood in his path. He just let the fresh corpse collapse onto the ground as a puddle of blood began to pour out of the newfound lacerations on it's neck.

A brief moment of silence fell upon the hunter as he began to examine the front of the building. As he continued to search for an easily accessible entrance, his fellow comrades deactivated their own cloaking devices; stepping out of the darkness and up to their teammate underneath the dim streetlight.

" **So, this is where those oomans are keeping our brother Stalker hostage? I would have thought there would be more stronger defences than just two lowly guards.** " The leader of the group, the Super Yautja named Ripper spoke up. From his point of view, it just didn't make sense that such little defences could be utilized at an institution like this.

" **They're Pyode Amedha, what did you expect?** " Replied Cage, his words as blunt as they could ever be. His deep hatred towards humanity kept growing even stronger while on the presence of their home world, forever sewing that dreaded grudge onto his tainted soul.

" **Something at least better than that. Honestly, this species really is pathetic.** " Ripper retorted, unimpressed with the strength and supposed intelligence of his prey. The Super Yautja and the rest of his brethren began to step forward, only to be brought to an immediate halt by Cage as he raised his claw into the air; signalling them all to stop.

" **Do you smell that?** " Cage said as his slowly turned around to face his companions.

They all began to sniff the air around them, noticing that a familiar yet very faint scent had found their way.

" **They must also have Kiande Amedha inside that building, and lots of them too.** " Stated Cage.

His fellow Bad Bloods all began to snicker amongst themselves, realizing that they had unintentionally came across what one could only describe as a metaphorical goldmine in their eyes.

" **Looks like we'll take two for one tonight; free Stalker from these pesky little oomans and claim those Kiande Amedha as our next kill trophies.** " Ripper said with much sinister delight.

He knew that this very night would be perfect for a killing spree of any lifeforms he and his associates deemed "lesser" than Yautja. Human, Xenomorph; it didn't matter, for as long as they crossed paths with the Forsaken Blades they were all good as dead.

Just then, another figure emerged onto the scene.

It was another human guard, though this one didn't seem to be armed with the same kind of weapons the first two were. Instead, all he had was a flashlight. He walked out into the dark, calling out to his now deceased colleagues, oblivious to their brutal slaughter.

"Jenkins, Shepard, it's time for swap out-" Began the guard, only to stop speaking mid-sentence as he witnessed the truly appalling sight before him.

On the ground were the corpses of his colleagues, with one of them drenched in a pool of his own blood while the other had a giant hole that looked like something had burned straight through his entire body and Kevlar armour too. On top of that, a group of humanoid creatures stood in front of him at the edge of darkness; all of which looked strikingly akin to the very Predator held captive within this facility.

They turned their eyes towards him, clicking their mandibles and sending a wave of chills down his spine in the process. He dropped his flashlight on the ground out of fear.

"Oh shit!" The guard said before immediately turning around and making a dash for the door, only to be blasted halfway there by a shot from one of the Bad Blood's gauntlets; tearing him in half as it scorched through his flesh with zero resistance.

Lowering him arm after claiming the kill, the Yautja hunter taunted his now lifeless prey.

" **Such useless Pyode Amedha, you're not even worth my trouble.** " He said out of utter disgust.

The Bad Bloods then marched forward to the gates, armed and ready to spark yet another bloody massacre to filthen their claws with. Nothing would slow them down now, for they remained veiled by the shadows of the night and unknown to the rest of the human personnel about their deadly presence.

Using his own brute strength, Ripper tore down the barbed wire fence that served as an outer barrier of the facility. His claws became frayed and bleeding, yet he carried on as if the injury had no effect on him at all.

The rest of his brethren headed on inside before the Super Yautja, stopping once they took cover behind a vehicle hangar. Activating the thermal-heat vision from his bio-mask, Cage looked out from the corner of the building. He saw that there were a greater number of armed guards than the outer defences, all of which were armed with the exact same weaponry.

Though it may have been entirely possible for him and the Forsaken Blades to charge at their foes and slaughter them with ease, Cage thought of a different strategy. Turning back to his comrades, he began to explain to them his tactic for this battle.

" **There's more oomans out there, but I have a better idea than just charging at them.** " Began Cage.

" **Why though? They're weak and pathetic creatures, real easy kills for us if you ask me.** " Replied one of the Bad Bloods.

" **True, but they can be a challenge in large numbers. If we were to attack them right now, there is a very high chance that they might call in reinforcements. We cannot afford to be overwhelmed here.** " He stated in response, explaining why he felt an alternative strategy could benefit their little band of renegades.

The Super Yautja clicked his mandibles. " **I see you understand your prey quite well, Cage. Great thinking.** " Ripper said, complementing on his latest hunter's abilities.

" **We must give them a distraction, something to draw them away from that building. Perhaps we can make them believe that another ooman has trespassed on their grounds?** " Cage suggested, assuming that at least one of the Forsaken Blades knew how to mimic the sounds of a human being.

He knew that the vocal cords of Yautja allowed them to imitate the sounds of their prey so easily, but knowing how to speak an alien dialect was on a whole other level.

" **I do not believe that any of my hunters know how to properly communicate in their language if that is what you are implying. Why would we bother with such a waste of time anyway?** " Replied Ripper, affirming that not a single member amongst his Bad Blood brethren could successfully pull off the strategy suggested by Cage himself.

" **Well, that changes things. Do we have any remote explosives?** " He questioned once more. Another one of the Bad Bloods nodded in response.

" **Yes, I've got a few on me right now.** " Cage then signaled him to hand them over.

" **Then we'll distract these ooman soldiers by blowing up this vehicle hangar. It should give us just enough time for the rest of my plan.** " Stated Cage. His comrades complied, handing over the explosive devices; to which the Yautja hunter began to place on the rear wall of the hangar.

The human soldiers standing guard nearby, they had yet to detect the aliens intruding on the premises of this Weyland-Yutani research facility. For now, everything seemed to be going smooth. It was a calm night after all; no reason to think otherwise…at least that is what they themselves thought. Even so, each of the guards stood their ground and kept their rifles armed for any potential attacks on the premises.

Just then, a massive explosion on the very location of the base caught their attention. The explosion itself took out a nearby vehicle hangar, leaving behind a massive thick cloud of smoke and flames that rose up to nearly 60 feet in the air. Bits and fragments of shrapnel from the blast flew through the air, scattering all over the area and raining down upon the soldiers like honed drops straight out of hell.

A shockwave ensued, knocking several of the guards to their knees as it flipped one of the transports meant for shipping live Xenomorph specimens onto it's side. Luckily, this particular truck did not have any such examples hidden inside.

"What the fuck was that?" One of the guards shouted, his ears still ringing from the blast.

"I don't know, I think someone managed to break into the facility and blew up that hangar!" Another guard hollered back in reply. He stood up from the ground, grabbing his rifle and looking around for any hostile targets within the area. Not even a single one could be found, yet he was not willing to give in so easily.

"Scan the area, look for any potential assailants! We can't let them get inside to the labs and those Xenos! Am I understood?!" A third guard spoke up, commanding his fellow comrades to do as he instructed.

"Hold on, who the hell would attack this research facility and why would they want to get their hands on the Xenomorphs?" Yet another guard joined in on the conversation, addressing her concerns.

"I have no idea, but we have a crisis on our hands and now is not the time to be asking questions! Move it!" The authoritative guard retorted, directing his soldiers to obey at his own order.

With a simple nod of acknowledgement, each of the guards under his command hailed to him before they ran off to the laboratory in an effort to alert the on premises staff about the enigmatic threat now looming over the facility.

Hopefully then they could eliminate it before any further damage could be caused…or maybe these human soldiers wouldn't be so lucky.

* * *

Inside the facility's main building, the alarm had been sounded and all personnel within the area had been alerted of the predicament now assuming its place. Some researchers dashed down the hallways, desperate to get themselves to safety while others stayed behind in an effort to quarantine their live specimens from the base's intruders.

It was a state of utter panic, as any sane individual held within the walls of this very building would be thrown into a pit of disarray. The blaring sound of the alarm as red lights continued to flash on and off rapidly throughout each and every corridor only seemed to add to the already unnerving atmosphere consuming this institution.

It was no different inside the heavily guarded locale where Weyland-Yutani's live Xenomorph specimens were held in captivity.

The sounds of the alarm only seemed to further inflame the black behemoths, as their usual fiendish behaviour experienced whenever held within their individual containment cells had risen significantly. Though each Xenomorph containment cell was fitted with bullet-proof and acid-proof glass, that wouldn't be nearly enough to prevent a possible containment breach from occurring; especially given the current threat attempting to tear the facility apart.

As the parasitic alien creatures continued to violently thrash about inside their cells, their human capturers attempted to lock down the Xenomorph bay before the mysterious intruders on the premises of this facility could reach their live specimens. Two researchers stood by a computer directly connected to each cell, furiously typing commands in as they began to shudder out of fear.

"We've got to reroute the power for the holding cells to the backup supply batteries! Hurry it up so we can get out of here!" The first researcher shouted, instructing his co-worker to do just as he said.

"I'm going as fast as I can, dammit! Don't rush me!" He responded with an angry retort, as he too was on the verge of panicking.

Almost immediately after, a sudden metallic clatter was heard echoing throughout the room. Looking directly into the distance, the two human researchers saw what they at first glance believed to be another human. However, as it took a few steps closer, it became apparent that this creature was no human being at all.

It was indeed a Predator, one of the humanoid aliens only recently discovered by Weyland-Yutani.

"Oh god." The first researcher muttered to himself as his colleague slowly and quietly reached for the pistol holstered from underneath his lab coat.

He then pointed it at the monster within his line of sight; but before he could pull the trigger, the alien hunter launched some kind of throwing weapon at him. It drew out several razor-sharp blades in midair within a flash and sheared through the researcher's arm with ease.

Not only that, but the peculiar alien weapon had also mangled the second human in the room; leaving behind an unrecognizable bloody pile of gore. He stared in shock at the sight of his severed arm and the jumbled corpse, the pain and terror unable to prevent him from screaming. Looking back at the Predator treading towards him, he scuttled back until he pressed himself up against the wall.

"P-please…have mercy."

His words did nothing, as the alien hunter continued to stare blankly at the wounded human. The emotionless gaze given by the bio-mask that concealed his true face only seemed to further incite the belief that these Predators from another world were indeed cold-hearted and emotionless killers; completely devoid of any human soul.

Yet, the creature did not attack him again.

Instead, it slammed its fist into the computer, smashing it to pieces. All of the Xenomorph containment cells inside the vast room began to open now that both their power source and security signal had been disconnected.

The injured and bleeding researcher glanced at the now destroyed computer and then back at the Predator, only for it to suddenly vanish from his sight in the blink of an eye; almost as if it had just disappeared entirely.

He then saw one of the monstrous alien behemoths, a Xenomorph crawl up to him. Even with its dome-shaped and eyeless face, the lone injured human could tell from instinct that the beast was looking right at him. It snarled and hissed as two rows of razor-sharp teeth coated with saliva were revealed from its unfolding lips, along with a primal urge to slaughter. The human researcher was certain that this couldn't get any more petrifying, as he was lying utterly defenceless at the talons of a parasitic alien monster with a severed arm beside him.

Just then, a secondary mouth shot out of the center of the Xenomorph's jaws and the creature jumped onto him; mauling the scientist to death. The floors were now drowned in blood and gore as the monster began to devour its next meal, this time alive and barely kicking for an unlikely chance of survival. That didn't prevent him from screaming out of pain and agony, as that was exactly what he did.

Several other Xenomorphs then joined in, all feasting on the flesh of this one unfortunate soul. Upon his last dying breaths, the human researcher's limbs were sheared clean out of their sockets and gorged straight to the bone by the starved Xenomorphs now free from their clutches.

This one meal would not satisfy these ungodly creatures for long, as their carnage would soon be unleashed onto this world with mankind forced to fend off the insidious threat.

Once the body of the human researcher had been wolfed down to the bare bones and no more meat remained, the Xenomorphs looked up from their latest kill. A pool of blood lay on the floor underneath the human remains, staining it with a putrid smell of death.

Knowing that danger was still lurking near their vicinity, they began to make their way through the building's corridors. It was the heightened senses of their species that gave them the advantage to seek out prey and also potential foes as well. They could sense a nearby presence just by detecting pheromones present in the air. Though the signal the Xenomorphs had picked up was relatively weak, they were more than intelligent enough to understand that it did belong to the same exact creatures that had imprisoned them inside this very facility.

As the flickering red lights and alarms continued to blare all throughout the halls, the Xenomorphs ran onward. Starved by their own hunger and impervious to the screeching sounds encompassing them, nothing would stop these behemoths from attaining what their most primal desire called for. To slaughter anything that stood in its path and feast upon whatever juicy meat obtained from their kill, just as the laws of their own nature compelled them.

After all, the Xenomorphs themselves were bred to become the perfect killing machines, living weapons of immense brute power and symbol of pure unadulterated fear. Though that was not the intention of their long extinct creators, somehow evolution found its way and nothing could change that now.

With every step the Xenomorphs took, the signals of their prey grew bigger and bigger. No doubt their human captors were near.

* * *

The guards had found no sign of any hostiles present on the facility's grounds so far, yet they knew they needed to look harder. With a massive explosion coming from a vehicle hangar, someone had to have trespassed on this restricted area in order to initiate such an attack.

Continuing on with a steady pace and their weapons armed for combat, they marched around the premises; scanning every possible location.

Sadly to no avail, not a single trace of an enemy could be found.

Upon reaching the front gates however, the guards were met with a sickening sight. Several of their comrades had been slaughtered and their corpses were left out on the ground for all to see.

"Oh my god, they've already killed some of our men!" The guard commanding his associates blurted out upon witnessing the aftermath of their intruders' disturbance. He then walked over to the bodies to inspect them.

"Who was killed, sir?" A second guard questioned; her voice equally fearful as it was saddened.

"Shepard, Jenkins and Sully. I have no idea what killed them, but these wounds don't look like they're from gunshots." Replied the guards' leader as he knelt down for a closer look.

He took notice of the deadly plasma burns found on each of their corpses.

"Shepard was stabbed, but I'm not quite sure about what happened to those two." He said once more, now noticing the massive gash on the neck of his late comrade and the pool of blood that had already soaked into his uniform.

"Hold on, sir. I think I have an idea of what we're up against." Another one of the guards spoke up to his superior.

"And what would that be?" The leader inquired out of curiosity.

"It has to be one of those Predator aliens, maybe even several for all I know." Replied the guard. Chills went down everyone's spines as they feared that they would have to face those creatures head on, which wasn't a good sign when they barely knew anything about their enemy at all.

"Those Predators have advanced weaponry; nothing we've got on Earth can leave marks like that." He continued, stating a clear giveaway that had been hidden in plain sight by the current state of crisis.

"But why would one of those Predators…Oh shit!" The second guard said, almost immediately remembering about the captive specimen located in the south wing of the main building.

"He's probably after the one we've got in captivity and trying to distract us with that explosion and the Xenos!" The leader stated, picking up what his comrade had noticed.

"Move it! Move it!" He barked out once more, ordering his troops to mobilize and engage the hostile alien intruding upon the base.

As the guards ran back to the main building, they received a radio transmission from another squad currently active near their vicinity.  _"_

_Squad Foxtrot, this is Squad Charlie! We require immediate assistance!"_

It was jumbled with static and the faint sounds of gunfire along with what could only be assumed as alien snarls were heard in the background.

The leader picked up his radio and spoke immediately after the transmission subsided.

"Squad Charlie, what is going on out there?!" He questioned from his end of the radio, struggling to hide his trepidation away.  _"_

_The Xenomorphs have broken loose and-"_ Abruptly the transmission ended with the sickening noise of a blade tearing its way through flesh. Static now was the only thing to be heard on the radio, giving a sense of uncertainty to this squad of guards.

Facing these alien monstrosities head on was practically suicide, but they all knew their duty to be upheld.

"Change of plan, we must deal with those Xenomorphs first. If we make it out alive, the military must be alerted about this threat concerning the Predators." The leader of the squad stated, informing his comrades on what actions must be carried out.

He knew that they were all mercenaries for hire employed by Weyland-Yutani and not actual military personnel; so this was the best route for them to take. After all, each of these humans assumed that it would be best to deal with the black parasites instead of the humanoid alien hunters since they were by far the most dangerous creatures humanity had ever discovered.

"Yes sir!" Each of them said in unison as they made their way to the last known location of the other security squad.

That final location was not too far away from the Xenomorph containment block, only a few corridors away. Opening up one of the emergency exits from the outside, the guards rushed inside with their guns armed and ready for combat.

However, a few seconds later, the power went out; leaving them all in a darkened hallway where the only sounds that could be heard were each other's breaths.

Their marching came to an immediate halt, almost as if time itself was paused around them.

"Switch on your flashlights." The leader said, to which each of his troops complied. Soon, small channels of bright light shined from their weapons; illuminating the gloomy distance.

Slowly advancing further onto the darkness, the guards remained vigilant of their surroundings. They knew something evil was awaiting them ahead, something almost guaranteed to bring them to an early grave. With every step they took, their paranoia only seemed to grow larger and larger as they started to breathe heavily.

Upon reaching the next hallway, they took a turn to their left and continued down the path. The guards all felt this unnerving feeling, that somehow they were being watched by the very threat they sought to destroy.

Regardless if it was a Predator or a Xenomorph, they were equally monstrous killer aliens in the eyes of these human beings. Nonetheless, they still strode forward.

Little did they notice the creature hiding in plain sight above their eyes. Using the dark to its advantage, it stealthily crept up along the ceiling and waited for the precise moment to engage its newest prey. Making as little noise as physically possible, the beast lowered its bladed tail. Unfortunately for the alien, it did so a tad too early.

When one of the guards saw the blackened inhuman tail with a sharpened end dangling in front of her face, she yelped and immediately looked up, firing a burst of rounds at the monster.

The Xenomorph dropped dead, collapsing onto the ground in a pool of its own acidic blood that started to slowly dissolve the linoleum flooring. All of the guards stopped in their tracks as they heard the gunshots behind them, looking back to see what had happened.

"Well…that's one of them." The guard said to her comrades.

"How many of those Xenos are in this building exactly?" Another guard spoke up; questioning the true severity of the infestation they were up against.

"I have no idea. I'd say just ask the researchers, but they're most likely all dead by now." The leader replied, stating that he was completely unsure. It did not leave a good impression on his troops, as to be expected.

Just then, faint sounds of inhuman snarls and what one would assume were metallic blades being dragged alongside the walls. The guards all knew what this meant; the entire swarm of Xenomorphs was coming for them and the chances of escaping alive were less than slim. Still, they knew that it was their duty to fight against this callous alien threat. Raising their weapons, they kept a hunter's eye out for the monstrous behemoths in the darkened distance. Breathing heavily once again, the feeling of anxiety had risen amongst them all. Just then, the bladed tail of another Xenomorph dropped from the ceiling and penetrated one of the guards' neck from behind. Blood quickly began to spew out as he tried to scream out of pain, only for his comrades to hear the revolting sounds of gurgling instead. They turned around immediately, watching his life vanish before they knew it.

"Raynor!" The first guard shouted out of shock. He watched as the lifeless corpse fell to the ground as the blade was withdrawn, revealing the horror that was clinging from the ceiling.

Firing a series of bullets from his gun, the Xenomorph was killed as more acidic blood painted the corridors.

Sadly, he did not notice the Xenomorphs running behind him. When one of his partners looked back, it was already too late. It extended its secondary mouth and punctured a hole as if his head was a watermelon.

Before it could begin feasting on the fresh human remains however, a swift bullet was planted in its domed skull by one of his followers.

She did the best she could to fight against this inhuman horde of pure evil, but she too would suffer a grave fate.

One of the Xenomorphs got up close to her face and snarled a vicious scream.

She reacted by placing the barrel of her gun underneath its neck and pulling the trigger. A splash of acid blood splattered over her face, causing her to drop her gun as she began to relentlessly wail in pain while the skin of her head was burned clean off. The pain was far too much to handle, as he began to bash her head against the wall in an effort to end the state of agony.

Shortly after, she was dead on the scene from a combination of the acid blood effects and a violent head trauma. Her body would no doubt become the next meal for these hungry beats to scavenge.

The final two surviving guards then found themselves corned by the Xenomorphs. Unwilling to give up, they both continued to fight and fired more rounds of ammunition at the black behemoths. Several more Xenomorphs were gunned down, their bodies only adding to the carnage taking place. When the magazine ran out, he attempted to reload, only for a Xenomorph to snatch the weapon out of his hands with its bare humanoid claws.

Throwing the gun aside, it then looked at the human directly; almost as if it did indeed possess eyes and then tackled the now unarmed guard. It began to maliciously slash him with its claws, tearing the Kevlar armour he wore right off his body. He then reached for a combat knife and stabbed the Xenomorph in its torso, hoping in vain that it would die from that wound.

Unfortunately, the creature did not die and instead only seemed to get increasingly angry. It stood up before and snarled once more retaliating by stabbing the man in the heart with its bladed tail. He died right then and there, leaving the only man alive shaking in his boots as the inhuman monstrosities began to corner him yet again. It was game over for him, and now was his bitter end. With no more ammo left for his gun, there was no point in trying to stay alive any longer.

"So this is how we die…" He muttered to himself before the Xenomorphs all ganged up on him and began to maul him to death.

Their mission had failed, and yet none of them knew the true reason why. Only a vague idea of what they assumed their intruders goals were had been painted amongst themselves shortly before each of their untimely demises.

* * *

Meanwhile in the lab where the live Yautja specimen was held, the Bad Blood was awakened inside his containment cell. From all the ruckus going on outside, he could only assume that his brethren had come to break him free of this prison. Though he was unable to break himself out of his own containment cell, he knew that his brothers would easily find a way somehow. For the time being, he waited until the moment when he would finally meet up with his fellow Yautja fugitives.

Just then, the door to the lab had been kicked down and inside walked many familiar faces. It was indeed his clan, here to rescue him from human imprisonment.

The Super Yautja commanding the bunch then stepped forward and smashed open the containment cell's wall of bulletproof glass with ease. The Bad Blood walked outside, for he was content to see most of his fellow hunters after what felt like an eternity.

" **Ripper, you all came back for me. Thank you.** " He spoke up, expressing his gratitude towards his superior.

" **Stalker, you are one of the Forsaken Blades. We could never leave a brother of ours behind; we need each other to stay alive from those Enforcers.** " Replied Ripper, stating that there was no way he would leave one of his own subordinates to die alone in the hands of a lesser species.

Stalker then averted his gaze for a moment and noticed one Yautja in the group who was unfamiliar. He clicked his mandibles out of distrust.

" **Who is this blemished Yautja? A new recruit or liability?** " The Bad Blood questioned his leader with a tint of venom in his voice.

" **This here is Cage, he has proved his worth to our clan and we successfully led a rebellion aboard their mothership. He is one of your brothers now, Stalker. You must accept that.** " Ripper said, defending his latest inductee's value as a member of the Forsaken Blades clan.

Stalker then took another glance and looked at the scars bared on Cage's flesh.  _With wounds like that, perhaps he has shown how strong he really is_. He thought to himself.

" **Who imprisoned you here? What did they do to you?** " Cage questioned; eager to know what could've possibly happened to a Yautja while being imprisoned by such lowly human beings.

" **They mostly ran tests on me, trying to determine what kind of creature I am, I suppose. I don't know who exactly did this, but I remember one of their faces too well. This one ooman female, I kid you not; she had the Mark of Honor engraved onto her skin!** "

Stalker said as he explained his experience inside this facility, uncertain if they would truly believe his words or not. Cage then formed a morbid grin on his face.

" **So she's on this planet. I thought so.** "

The Bad Blood Yautja said, his speech sounding quite zealous. Stalker was left puzzled by his statement, more so on the fact that Cage did not call him a buffoon for making up such insane lies.

" **What do you mean? You know an ooman who bears the Mark of Honor?** " He questioned out of disbelief. Cage then snickered morbidly.

" **As a matter of fact, I do. That ooman female, she shall be my next kill**."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: Hey everyone, Cosmic Sword11 here with another chapter for Predator and Prey. I apologize for the wait, as I had taken a short hiatus from writing this story. Now, I intend on finishing the story without taking any longer breaks to work on other projects. So if you're reading this on either FFN or AO3, please remember to R&R if you enjoyed this chapter. That would be most appreciated. With all that said, I'll see you guys hopefully sooner than later.

**Author's Note:**

> Author’s note: This is the prologue to my first story in a saga of aligned fanfictions called “Galactic Threat”. It is meant to be a massive crossover story, but this first entry in the Galactic Threat storyline is solely focused on Alien vs. Predator. There will be references in this particular story to other franchise that will be appearing in the series as it progresses, but keep in mind that this story has not become a crossover…or rather not yet at least in this case. I have always wanted to write a massive crossover story like this, but I never had the guts to do so until now. So please review and give me any feedback being both positive and or negative (but please do try to be mature if you are going to criticize my writing, that would be most appreciated). I look forward to see what all of you think about Predator and Prey, a tale of beauty and beast and the first episode in the Galactic Threat saga. I first uploaded this to Fanfiction.net, then to Wattpad, and now I am publishing it on AO3. Until next time when I publish the first official chapter of this story.


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